tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84051482690970169222024-02-27T00:07:05.524-07:00 Jodie's JournalSeeking Hope in the HardJodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863572401144450122noreply@blogger.comBlogger576125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-5647202486175693212023-03-03T13:10:00.005-07:002023-03-03T13:16:07.066-07:00Will You Give God Both Hands? Guest Post<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCYNdYAYkIpmkCr5WloIXZotQ9xFzsA-7mbDTqs_Wf9CqvAWLiVhKUKGPcHlCOL46H967zIcQaBYMz2l6MbP709OhVW8pM-yG2nEtsVl45W1THSXGl9NBk6quNTBUlX-VQmMgNg5LwwfycrFFnbxUsrWWuEt03M_U-G6ZMyMVcPPd4bat6zAn8F-e/s1080/Jodie%20Pine%20graphic.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCYNdYAYkIpmkCr5WloIXZotQ9xFzsA-7mbDTqs_Wf9CqvAWLiVhKUKGPcHlCOL46H967zIcQaBYMz2l6MbP709OhVW8pM-yG2nEtsVl45W1THSXGl9NBk6quNTBUlX-VQmMgNg5LwwfycrFFnbxUsrWWuEt03M_U-G6ZMyMVcPPd4bat6zAn8F-e/s320/Jodie%20Pine%20graphic.png" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Lato, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1919; font-size: 16px;">It happened largely by accident last summer. At a family retreat on the shores of Lake Michigan, I resolved to widen my horizons and plunge into the challenges of adventure with both feet.</span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1919; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;">So there I was, high above the ground on a ropes course of all places, not heeding the advice of my agile teenage son who had just warned me, “<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">I don’t think you should try this one, Mom</em>.” As soon as I stepped off the platform and on to the swinging plank, I immediately lost my balance.</p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a5351; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">AS MUCH AS I HAVE LIVED MY LIFE TRYING TO AVOID FALLING, I REALIZED THEN THAT<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"> ONLY BY FALLING COULD I BE CAUGHT</em>.</h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1919; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;">White knuckling the rope as I dangled and spun freely, frantically searching for a focal point, I discovered that my guide had not moved. Still on the platform, he reassured me with a calm, steady voice: “<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Keep your eyes on me. I’ve got you</em>.”</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1919; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;">He then directed, “<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Give me both your hands and let me pull you up</em>.” And deep within my soul, God Himself echoed that invitation.</p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a5351; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">WILL YOU GIVE ME BOTH YOUR HANDS, BELOVED?</em></h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1919; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;">Offering Him both hands required me to let go of the rope completely: to reach up and reach beyond my fear. I had already stepped off the platform of trying to hold it all together. Now my challenge was to believe that He would get me to a better place.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1919; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">*****You can read the <a href="https://jodirosser.com/will-you-give-god-both-hands/">rest of my Heartbreak to Strength story</a> on Jodi Rosser's website*****</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKRddZVjiLKL2iIapDsPMb825KJonWASLV5ticwU_wlOtQR05qdEoLRTaaCCQ7GqtOQiqvS5j49s-4_Itljbe8RfYsypefVXBAQ5G-JsPO9Ct9jnmM1iteDOplV-gk5B12dqETqSdyXZJom9ZEC7TfSkkFrZk8uB-kN385Mvt_Lv1_dNI7twi9m-K/s1080/Jodie%20Pine%20Quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKRddZVjiLKL2iIapDsPMb825KJonWASLV5ticwU_wlOtQR05qdEoLRTaaCCQ7GqtOQiqvS5j49s-4_Itljbe8RfYsypefVXBAQ5G-JsPO9Ct9jnmM1iteDOplV-gk5B12dqETqSdyXZJom9ZEC7TfSkkFrZk8uB-kN385Mvt_Lv1_dNI7twi9m-K/s320/Jodie%20Pine%20Quote.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1919; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1919; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-54303116962188573512022-11-26T15:39:00.004-07:002022-11-26T15:42:20.963-07:00Willing To Be a Scandal<p><br /></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xdj266r x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Willing</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">To be</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">A scandal</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Mary</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>Reimagined</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Her life's path</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Believing</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">The impossible</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Could be</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">True</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Within her</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Own body</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">The hope of humanity </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Hidden in her</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Surrender </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">"I am the Lord's</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Servant</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Let it be done."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Anticipating</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Misunderstanding</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">And condemnation</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Even from</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Her own</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Family</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">She chose</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">To believe</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Her own story</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Holding firmly </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">To the Truth</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Deep within her</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Allowing others</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">To form</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Their own opinions</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Defending herself</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Would never be</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Her life's battle</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">But simply making room</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">For the life of God</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">To grow</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Dignity</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Courage and</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Strength</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Enveloped her</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">As did</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Elizabeth's embrace</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDSygO1Kb-1so3Ab6tAGXvxuscQt2tLoWr6mA8mD_XaaTbVfz8Mq_hQX2Au5hY6dwUHzJrsXwyd4Sm0ha28Fwj_7yLtEi5UMNWVPhi6R2sAW9QFF8SMVZ4JgGlvcYCBSfj1LqWOi5jpfyhJySqAxyg01KEqyy9TCG3UyoGOhjJ_09msr-U3MB02jL/s2562/IMG_20211222_110604785_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2562" data-original-width="2114" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDSygO1Kb-1so3Ab6tAGXvxuscQt2tLoWr6mA8mD_XaaTbVfz8Mq_hQX2Au5hY6dwUHzJrsXwyd4Sm0ha28Fwj_7yLtEi5UMNWVPhi6R2sAW9QFF8SMVZ4JgGlvcYCBSfj1LqWOi5jpfyhJySqAxyg01KEqyy9TCG3UyoGOhjJ_09msr-U3MB02jL/s320/IMG_20211222_110604785_HDR.jpg" width="264" /></a></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">A sheltering</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Sacred</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Space</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Affirming </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">The presence of God growing</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Inside her</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Let it be</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Done</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">And so it was</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">May it be</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Done in us</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">And so it will be</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-83675310810386691692022-05-01T07:22:00.003-06:002022-05-01T07:22:34.789-06:00Waiting Expectantly Without Expectations Guest Post<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnq6g6L4Y4-FQZR4mtxebvzaKl4llRUk3t3EFb3bVMpH_W7GVH6tW3y8HWS3vJvg4iAqFawzwMU-707JZJ9mTkFjT5OgQBRmxIRRJ2hQIm-p7SBPJK1ZxbcftcVxA01WKJNlWlA0Ivcfe-BNX0RvwY1eiRhLvyvES1alz5HEUaaIO81SUNcMgZnUb/s1080/BRO8QTBxR9yd0MWyqBuH_EO_Story_-_Jodie_Pine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnq6g6L4Y4-FQZR4mtxebvzaKl4llRUk3t3EFb3bVMpH_W7GVH6tW3y8HWS3vJvg4iAqFawzwMU-707JZJ9mTkFjT5OgQBRmxIRRJ2hQIm-p7SBPJK1ZxbcftcVxA01WKJNlWlA0Ivcfe-BNX0RvwY1eiRhLvyvES1alz5HEUaaIO81SUNcMgZnUb/s320/BRO8QTBxR9yd0MWyqBuH_EO_Story_-_Jodie_Pine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <span style="color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px;">“</span><em style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px;">Mom!</em><span style="color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px;">” my teenage son cried out, unable to sleep with uncontrollable leg tremors and heart palpitations. When he uttered the words that he thought he was dying, I began throwing the essentials into his well worn hospital bag for another trip to the ER.</span><p></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Three months earlier, the successful completion of his brain cancer treatment had felt like crossing a finish line. I praised God then for being our anchor who kept us afloat during that life-threatening storm. Finding ourselves back in the hospital now for unexpected, concerning symptoms, I had some words for God that would not be called praise.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">I challenged Him with the unfairness of it all and brought up the promise He had given after the devastation by locusts, recorded by the prophet Joel, “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten--the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you.” (Joel 2:25, NIV)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">God, are you planning to repay my son? You are aware, aren’t you, of all the damage you have allowed the locusts to cause in his life?</em></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">The locust of spina bifida from birth. The locust of encephalitis at age 7 just before his adoption into our family. The locust of brain cancer at age 14. And the locusts medically inflicted on him in the form of chemo and radiation treatment.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Don’t allow yet another locust to take even more from his life, God</em><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">. <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Show me what you’re doing. I want to trust that everything happening is part of your plan, but I feel like I can’t right now. There must be goodness here but I can’t see it. I believe your presence must be here but I can’t feel it. I want to see your repaying, your rebuilding, your restoring him. I want to believe that his precious life is safe in your hands. </em></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Can I trust your protection over him no matter what happens?</em></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br /></em></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEaPCCgfP4M45vzlEDDjMDJQ99ylC97yP0mxdLJUmkmWEDZV7W4v8FBCBNG3TVyRI9LSQ-9K2qh4d3hGJwi1gDWB_h18MH-xiEuLKbsdQQ3Rj81uGDovCzBiuNTLSWbsq3f41gpAaKZsSHLimfxxOclfwaY8QSuGE9o7EEXxl6OIGcUR_fAHREdjj/s1280/6BZ5Sr4qSDeQWBcWN62H_EO_story_-_Jodie_Pine_blog_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEaPCCgfP4M45vzlEDDjMDJQ99ylC97yP0mxdLJUmkmWEDZV7W4v8FBCBNG3TVyRI9LSQ-9K2qh4d3hGJwi1gDWB_h18MH-xiEuLKbsdQQ3Rj81uGDovCzBiuNTLSWbsq3f41gpAaKZsSHLimfxxOclfwaY8QSuGE9o7EEXxl6OIGcUR_fAHREdjj/s320/6BZ5Sr4qSDeQWBcWN62H_EO_story_-_Jodie_Pine_blog_cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">****************</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br /></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">You can read the <a href="https://www.katyepling.com/blog/everyday-ordinary-waiting-expectantly">rest of the post</a> at Katy Epling's Everyday Ordinary Stories</em></div><p></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #625b57; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br /></em></span></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-59601334312362957162022-04-27T10:15:00.003-06:002022-04-27T10:17:46.473-06:00Hannah Stood Up<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHdVZsb1U7Mx-bsMWK-n79_kUL-iAYsTbdE2AIVXNczQfhVR4ZhchEopjh357eC9MVtSwFyGDyd8Zn314G5Cj73YW24_WPdzWSu0sHe9n1UFO5Dfg2i3WtqhcHZGsZ9--WNqVZ1lBmmq4z7cWGyBBxEmgs8XtYNyQt2DIEFBo6v0wVLeNe5qKMVSO/s720/woman%20in%20the%20Bible.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHdVZsb1U7Mx-bsMWK-n79_kUL-iAYsTbdE2AIVXNczQfhVR4ZhchEopjh357eC9MVtSwFyGDyd8Zn314G5Cj73YW24_WPdzWSu0sHe9n1UFO5Dfg2i3WtqhcHZGsZ9--WNqVZ1lBmmq4z7cWGyBBxEmgs8XtYNyQt2DIEFBo6v0wVLeNe5qKMVSO/s320/woman%20in%20the%20Bible.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Empty</p><p style="text-align: center;">Burdened</p><p style="text-align: center;">Provoked</p><p style="text-align: center;">Ridiculed</p><p style="text-align: center;">Mocked</p><p style="text-align: center;">Misunderstood</p><p style="text-align: center;">Unsupported</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Hannah</p><p style="text-align: center;">Stood Up</p><p style="text-align: center;">Poured out </p><p style="text-align: center;">Her soul</p><p style="text-align: center;">To the Lord</p><p style="text-align: center;">Expressed her desire</p><p style="text-align: center;">And faced accusation</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">With boldness</p><p style="text-align: center;">And courage</p><p style="text-align: center;">She spoke her truth</p><p style="text-align: center;">Received her blessing</p><p style="text-align: center;">Lifted up by the Lord</p><p style="text-align: center;">Faithful to keep</p><p style="text-align: center;">Her promise</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Filled</p><p style="text-align: center;">Carried</p><p style="text-align: center;">Honored</p><p style="text-align: center;">Seen</p><p style="text-align: center;">Understood</p><p style="text-align: center;">Supported</p><p style="text-align: center;">Hannah</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">*from 1 Samuel 1:6-15*</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-80144422360996695622022-04-13T12:22:00.003-06:002022-04-13T12:22:57.601-06:00The Saturday of In Between<p style="text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px;">What went wrong God?</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">We thought we understood</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">We thought the pieces fit together</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">We had hoped</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">He was the Messiah</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Mo-6gIaf2WqxMj9KV5W8kDRi0WLJxubCylQ3r0-ejWt3UhqmMyahJSWtXPn1Q3cXR65N9IRVKFxLFQ-A_8e-2iaLcVKMyZzbghDn6zL1zCEf6Tx_ErQz2z7JVnR7RKpMpnC0z_i3GdjpIIN5zRfws7PdQ0CeCGkGwRReLVmBkkQJxOXs1TKharHi/s1024/20220404_113125-768x1024.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Mo-6gIaf2WqxMj9KV5W8kDRi0WLJxubCylQ3r0-ejWt3UhqmMyahJSWtXPn1Q3cXR65N9IRVKFxLFQ-A_8e-2iaLcVKMyZzbghDn6zL1zCEf6Tx_ErQz2z7JVnR7RKpMpnC0z_i3GdjpIIN5zRfws7PdQ0CeCGkGwRReLVmBkkQJxOXs1TKharHi/s320/20220404_113125-768x1024.webp" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Shattered dreams.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Disillusionment.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Unrealized expectations.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">How could crucifixion</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Be part of Your good plan?</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">The Saturday of in between</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">The cross and the resurrection</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">The awe-full reality</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Of what is</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">And what isn’t.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Nailed to the cross</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">My dreams</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">My faith</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Wanting yet to believe</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">You never make mistakes.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">But how can it be?</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">***********************************</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">You can read the rest of the poem at Amanda Lewallen's <a href="https://amandalewallen.com/intentional-lent-series-the-saturday-of-in-between/?fbclid=IwAR3MYdahKOGsJ7cq4GE4NcPwGsvt5PkiNmFrhKQC8zVNgmUc-caneUqDRl8">Intentional Lent Series</a></em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363739; font-family: Oranienbaum, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0px 0px 28px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-21478621398013721412022-03-15T13:38:00.005-06:002022-03-15T13:41:33.465-06:00Comfortable With Discomfort Guest Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNQqSvcm1j8K3tGum1jShUNB20qkKMRGOA0SEjOXvf3BI6ett1Qe7nTyUx3BKg7YvqY0mg1bZNUTpd7QQtB4DzTyCZvVNLD3LjWe-ETuUuYDDZI_-vrKmcV3FWWoDXJEUjRTkNeqXIDbVTG3Yz3Pf95IiBr3pARct_M6r8xgpIADor2xWOtcdFKXeq=s2160" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNQqSvcm1j8K3tGum1jShUNB20qkKMRGOA0SEjOXvf3BI6ett1Qe7nTyUx3BKg7YvqY0mg1bZNUTpd7QQtB4DzTyCZvVNLD3LjWe-ETuUuYDDZI_-vrKmcV3FWWoDXJEUjRTkNeqXIDbVTG3Yz3Pf95IiBr3pARct_M6r8xgpIADor2xWOtcdFKXeq=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p>I bought the brightly colored balloon at the grocery store, to deliver along with the frozen lasagna and salad fixings, even though deep down I knew it wasn’t the right message. “Get Well Soon” simply wasn’t possible for my friend, now facing the mountainous road of chemo and radiation, with the cancer detour that had radically altered her course.</p><p><br /></p><p>If there had been better options, I would have chosen more cancer-appropriate balloon words such as “Here With You” or “Courageous Warrior.” </p><p><br /></p><p>I guess I decided to go ahead and buy the balloon because I focused on the word well and how much I wanted it to be well with my friend’s soul on this unwanted journey. I was clear, just as she was, that nothing would make her “get” well any sooner. So, as I drove across town to deliver the food and the balloon, I simply prayed that she would feel seen and loved. </p><p><br /></p><p>I wanted to pass on to my friend encouragement and support like we had received following my son’s cancer diagnosis eighteen months prior. We’d received multiple delicious meals and gift cards along the way. Groceries delivered. Notes reminding us that we weren’t alone. And even a few actual hugs–when virtual ones had become the norm in the midst of our worldwide social distancing pandemic.</p><p><br /></p><p>Like me and my struggle over the Get Well Soon balloon, maybe you too have second-guessed yourself when you wanted to reach out to someone who was hurting but feared doing something wrong. When God places a suffering friend on our hearts, we feel the immense burden of their struggle and the weight of what we imagine they must be carrying. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">But how do we discern the best way to show up?</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijI0mQDUuLASh3viMM2_HN1yLwVDbGPKdwbjVVsecPaUXIagZZFQ9X1ZWlPmMSqt5kWGzeDZcCh5XSrhnMP3CmP1vFJiwbmeO159izn0jHaKZzTxlo-gtfLmzKlOk0DvdPwKGPdBue4b_cvcb8q-bNWNaZCK6RF1sMvR1cp0e1QfCgCabPwaXt7IQ_=s2160" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijI0mQDUuLASh3viMM2_HN1yLwVDbGPKdwbjVVsecPaUXIagZZFQ9X1ZWlPmMSqt5kWGzeDZcCh5XSrhnMP3CmP1vFJiwbmeO159izn0jHaKZzTxlo-gtfLmzKlOk0DvdPwKGPdBue4b_cvcb8q-bNWNaZCK6RF1sMvR1cp0e1QfCgCabPwaXt7IQ_=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Prompt, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">* You can read the <a href="https://rachaelkadams.com/comfortable-with-discomfort-the-best-way-to-show-up-for-a-suffering-friend-by-jodie-pine/" target="_blank">rest of the post here</a> at Rachael Adams' The Love Offering Blog Series.*</p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Prompt, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Prompt, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Prompt, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(68, 66, 72, 0.8); font-family: Prompt, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-54588319753877673622022-01-25T15:25:00.003-07:002022-01-25T16:09:21.069-07:00Guest Posts in 2021<p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;">A compilation of my guest posts from last year:</div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://thriveministry.org/connection/devotional/finding-contentment-in-disappointment?utm_source=Connection&utm_campaign=79b41ebb11-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_08_06_08_28_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_59f8971ca4-79b41ebb11-73048018" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;">Finding Contentment in Disappointment</span></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Thrive Connection</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu-63GHCQp7_vkdFZqn6aQylR-UzMdXPOYTmLkl-uZyGnv6MwZ3xl6Xh9UM2jet1_jXkSoSwTxrFkHxDQxE8Rwhw5yRrYiRtj788R6Zuigl37Qwe46qYDk4calTTdqTxI_O4IrEnSpR5lIhwkKZV2cadMv96cZENe5zDHHTlnIdzXDZ8mGkB7jyv_I=s320" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="320" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu-63GHCQp7_vkdFZqn6aQylR-UzMdXPOYTmLkl-uZyGnv6MwZ3xl6Xh9UM2jet1_jXkSoSwTxrFkHxDQxE8Rwhw5yRrYiRtj788R6Zuigl37Qwe46qYDk4calTTdqTxI_O4IrEnSpR5lIhwkKZV2cadMv96cZENe5zDHHTlnIdzXDZ8mGkB7jyv_I=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #191919; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #191919; text-align: justify;">How can I be content when life doesn't turn out at all the way I've hoped and prayed? </span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"> </span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://thriveministry.org/connection/devotional/resting-in-uncertainty" target="_blank">Resting in Uncertainty</a></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">Thrive Connection</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAqd3dBTZrSIKChH2J_kGpJNqpsT1QYMiL5E5g0xUk6fXGfAjGmrKUSvKJ8oeQPt8W8oAWBW1a5eBjwVY7fiO-Z_EeRFu83yXF41fyGH6-LAZygas6WoqOuJIGdbhKx14iqG9mTVmBJWO26m-dlSo1gwNX3dNKRPJFEfuEdSBSDOhEdWpw1_Cm2vK4=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAqd3dBTZrSIKChH2J_kGpJNqpsT1QYMiL5E5g0xUk6fXGfAjGmrKUSvKJ8oeQPt8W8oAWBW1a5eBjwVY7fiO-Z_EeRFu83yXF41fyGH6-LAZygas6WoqOuJIGdbhKx14iqG9mTVmBJWO26m-dlSo1gwNX3dNKRPJFEfuEdSBSDOhEdWpw1_Cm2vK4=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #212529; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px;">In those hours of unrest, God invited me to find peace, not through confidence in the doctor's skill, but through quiet surrender in the hospital chapel.</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://velvetashes.com/a-spacious-place/l">A Spacious Place</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Velvet Ashes</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqOc6MpwPb8kU31VDzOfjRuhEf-3CyyV7FZ3jHL45uQ0IxyxDHD9g2xyii0Uh5ZBxtHldBkvQGoiFfL2bVXmtJeZzS7v1EqdTH4UhBXXOLt8u30ytNLesU32NbpN9BgfhzXx8RR6IrPM8OwwWc22gUinyKYegxCSLqCGmU7ri2hRpNr8Df5fetXPX1=s320" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="320" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqOc6MpwPb8kU31VDzOfjRuhEf-3CyyV7FZ3jHL45uQ0IxyxDHD9g2xyii0Uh5ZBxtHldBkvQGoiFfL2bVXmtJeZzS7v1EqdTH4UhBXXOLt8u30ytNLesU32NbpN9BgfhzXx8RR6IrPM8OwwWc22gUinyKYegxCSLqCGmU7ri2hRpNr8Df5fetXPX1=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #191919; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our collective souls feel weary from lugging around the weight of fear, unsettledness, and restlessness, like heavy suitcases we haven’t been able to hand off at the airport check-in counter.</span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://thriveministry.org/connection/devotional/the-sideways-gaze?fbclid=IwAR0ygBw14KcsOWifyk1SRolRgMK5W8hwOBQ4-KFIzOyrICqctfdOtDIQbzk" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Sideways Gaze</span></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Thrive Connection</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSRcvQcDKK2hFaGBQupwRLxjgERUhTggw4IIUrhYVuAVmZzpTG4rnn_yuVkZfzHOznEGVBrPElCCSqJVSNyp5jYrk_7MuPC7NoZC3aFHIXaR903I8Qr2CpdFK2q1nWQfVmCrwjmTgd8x4hyuUDMTruxNmq-WT7YZQt0goW2_s0PbCnZP_OPXRViZpr=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSRcvQcDKK2hFaGBQupwRLxjgERUhTggw4IIUrhYVuAVmZzpTG4rnn_yuVkZfzHOznEGVBrPElCCSqJVSNyp5jYrk_7MuPC7NoZC3aFHIXaR903I8Qr2CpdFK2q1nWQfVmCrwjmTgd8x4hyuUDMTruxNmq-WT7YZQt0goW2_s0PbCnZP_OPXRViZpr=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As women serving overseas, our opportunities for comparison are limitless. With a sideways gaze, without conscious thought, we might assess each other's language ability, ministry “fruitfulness,” and closeness with the Lord. </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The sideways gaze is quite tempting, isn't it?</span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Miriam and Aaron could identify with our comparison battle.</span></span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://sarahkbutterfield.com/2021/04/26/finding-belonging-in-a-foreign-country/"><span style="font-size: medium;">Finding Belonging in a Foreign Country</span></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Out of Place Series</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhV0TpRC6H_zqzXiM85Vq7uWvMUasyhdbxoMSz5viSRXycKI6VM5nRuAmUUup0zR3jEtyMwMwwH3rcmAfm0YGjxyxYCHhXI1JMTUsSM86XgdwM-eswP__ETMeg5vWTr0N-yQRhnNdUaaLA2Hy_PllApFeWw2a7I4kjck3XXpV-ZYngHAjVLKzMzf54x=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhV0TpRC6H_zqzXiM85Vq7uWvMUasyhdbxoMSz5viSRXycKI6VM5nRuAmUUup0zR3jEtyMwMwwH3rcmAfm0YGjxyxYCHhXI1JMTUsSM86XgdwM-eswP__ETMeg5vWTr0N-yQRhnNdUaaLA2Hy_PllApFeWw2a7I4kjck3XXpV-ZYngHAjVLKzMzf54x=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #191919; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: justify;">If you would have selected me with chopsticks out of a boiling pot of homemade dumplings, </span><span style="text-align: justify;">I would have been the one whose thin wrapping had busted apart so that my filling had become indistinguishable from the broth.</span></span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://thriveministry.org/.../devotional/never-not-enough" target="_blank">Never Not Enough</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Thrive Connection</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJ9hIWeMGXZ0GhSynHOOxw2fubfkUmyy3Eo38Fs8KNqqTFOOLb9wcVM1Aqz4lDeEgHSaA8GU0OwsFe7ROfgr-ApzcYIpMmrAaj1rodsLJR2dwHrBidtZa1VerNRLU_0c-Sk7NUASmdeuwAedIMVDUn5Ns9jnv6qbpv8KF_17iqxHaJR473DWdJGgJ2=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJ9hIWeMGXZ0GhSynHOOxw2fubfkUmyy3Eo38Fs8KNqqTFOOLb9wcVM1Aqz4lDeEgHSaA8GU0OwsFe7ROfgr-ApzcYIpMmrAaj1rodsLJR2dwHrBidtZa1VerNRLU_0c-Sk7NUASmdeuwAedIMVDUn5Ns9jnv6qbpv8KF_17iqxHaJR473DWdJGgJ2=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><p style="background-color: #fcfcfc; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: #fcfcfc; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jordan, the queen of surprises, had carefully arranged her own flight details to align with her college roommate's return trip from France to the US. She’d been secretly coordinating the layover surprise with one of her roommate's travel mates for weeks and couldn't wait for the moment to finally arrive. It was going to be so much fun. And there would be so much laughter.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #212529;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><p style="background-color: #fcfcfc; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But it was not to be.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://theuncommonnormal.com/2021/05/30/spotlight-2-strangers-who-cared/" target="_blank">Spotlight: What Happens When 2 Strangers Actually Care</a></span></p><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">Begin Within: A Gratitude Series</span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-mgmbjQZwgUPfmzh3vvkrMQWNizKokKIUD1QpVhiUa1oel40DfV5GiJ8weZDG1XhTI4pdu7B61e6dNo5exMIHw4UBqOO6YooDU3_b8WxRzCf2KMfT0KdOogPGRfI__y8vMP-TlewArLGgWvsOpR6yoY3jVdfAXzBVuSk1rldevmvjaKCagUWS6dHR=s1500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-mgmbjQZwgUPfmzh3vvkrMQWNizKokKIUD1QpVhiUa1oel40DfV5GiJ8weZDG1XhTI4pdu7B61e6dNo5exMIHw4UBqOO6YooDU3_b8WxRzCf2KMfT0KdOogPGRfI__y8vMP-TlewArLGgWvsOpR6yoY3jVdfAXzBVuSk1rldevmvjaKCagUWS6dHR=s320" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mother Teresa said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”</span></span></div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://thriveministry.org/.../devot.../listen-to-your-heart" target="_blank">Listen to Your Heart</a></span></span></p><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thrive Connection</span></span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg678hUX4RAVur8VnY7PjU7KKQLfOIexLa6VYmSwbW1XcjY5AChuGrLQb-xSMNrnxLY-FjZ2A8UDcAxhIJstPWUwFfj-leY0pn85xaSlP_jaqkMlP_JuMAE82xNylhaFnw9ulfKg8Ne8aqxf6FC2A5ZT4S-t6l9T3OxKch9Y64bzj1TWrvWukRrYVA4=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg678hUX4RAVur8VnY7PjU7KKQLfOIexLa6VYmSwbW1XcjY5AChuGrLQb-xSMNrnxLY-FjZ2A8UDcAxhIJstPWUwFfj-leY0pn85xaSlP_jaqkMlP_JuMAE82xNylhaFnw9ulfKg8Ne8aqxf6FC2A5ZT4S-t6l9T3OxKch9Y64bzj1TWrvWukRrYVA4=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #191919; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #212529; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I decided to join a Saturday morning women’s class at the mosque across the street from our apartment building. There, I learned Arabic and some basics about Islam, which included reciting the Shahada. One day, the teacher drew attention to the fact that I was not reciting with everyone else, and I realized with dread that the issue of my silent observation needed to be addressed.</span> </span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.beckyberesford.com/post/growing-into-bravery-after-a-child-s-life-altering-medical-diagnosis" target="_blank">Growing Into Bravery After a Child's Life-Altering Medical Diagnosis</a></span></span></p><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Brave Women Series</span></span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4TCSTZRF-u5tvV_ohh0CndoGNPQSkD9KREaAu92rKHeLZxXG173LQYbr4DN472MWvOGHzGF_0LfodH6YVeY7zeN3zzp2DHP0ZqSBdCL02nee7feicUc-KWfHGS9E4_XoK9NmoKOUiaTOU-R2iIhVtJtCyGx5vu0bokFyOyeII9mr1JM4CHrDJEJL4=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4TCSTZRF-u5tvV_ohh0CndoGNPQSkD9KREaAu92rKHeLZxXG173LQYbr4DN472MWvOGHzGF_0LfodH6YVeY7zeN3zzp2DHP0ZqSBdCL02nee7feicUc-KWfHGS9E4_XoK9NmoKOUiaTOU-R2iIhVtJtCyGx5vu0bokFyOyeII9mr1JM4CHrDJEJL4=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">The unanswered question of </span><em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What are you doing God?</em><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> and the nowhere-else-to-go kneeling before Him in surrender...</span></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 1em 0px; orphans: 2; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div data-hook="rcv-block7" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" type="paragraph"></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="XzvDs _208Ie _1atvN _2QAo- _25MYV _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-6qkmi" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: 700;">There's the everyday kind of brave we grow into.</span></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><a href="https://thriveministry.org/connection/devotional/peace-in-the-storm" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Peace in the Storm</span></a></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thrive Connection</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #191919; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEik9E6szY8Q2Fj1YN1oWIpZgA8NZBhT55MYLvHILg1FiK4z4WxDKyLf2z_8xvl0bems5yT47F-_IxumLEckY4hJbSxlDWliJn6paGoCoBECwfy87_lC0BndziQ1Vjo78MaCTJ99KoB_riVR3uvS39a9l_79OPZlfn0OhyK8ksc8J9a-XxH67EwQuHvW=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEik9E6szY8Q2Fj1YN1oWIpZgA8NZBhT55MYLvHILg1FiK4z4WxDKyLf2z_8xvl0bems5yT47F-_IxumLEckY4hJbSxlDWliJn6paGoCoBECwfy87_lC0BndziQ1Vjo78MaCTJ99KoB_riVR3uvS39a9l_79OPZlfn0OhyK8ksc8J9a-XxH67EwQuHvW=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br /></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When we heard the news that our not-yet-adopted son was hospitalized and in serious condition, an actual storm rolled in. Dark thunder clouds precipitated a powerful wind that rattled even our double-paned windows, and an eeriness loomed around us. From our living room, where we could normally see the Yellow River, the sky was darker than dark. Strangely, our apartment building itself was still bathed in light. The sunlight streaming in through our kitchen windows was brighter than we had ever seen before.</span></span></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit;"><a href="https://www.marniehammar.com/post/when-god-speaks-through-your-child-s-story" target="_blank">When God Speaks Through Your Child's Story</a></span></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hear Him Louder Series</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #191919; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYvESAF8aJ5DmDVTirgP6zyATiVAVV07VPMr_2G0jI6ChB3Zp4fAQYU8KwNpExt21gbCHmLmiscm3c5ntbSUKw7v-mMh-gku54n3v3v_14e5Fw2QfgsmO97vpM-SUVUA6_DdcBAUjeCnW6NY-G873W5gCdY_OJz5AzbAcSl9pmv-MtifseHom1eNsM=s981" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="981" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYvESAF8aJ5DmDVTirgP6zyATiVAVV07VPMr_2G0jI6ChB3Zp4fAQYU8KwNpExt21gbCHmLmiscm3c5ntbSUKw7v-mMh-gku54n3v3v_14e5Fw2QfgsmO97vpM-SUVUA6_DdcBAUjeCnW6NY-G873W5gCdY_OJz5AzbAcSl9pmv-MtifseHom1eNsM=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span face="var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset)" style="color: #191919; font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset);"><br /></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><p class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-b8rfq" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In that difficult season, Elisabeth Elliot’s <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Path of Loneliness</em> ministered to me. </span></span></span></p><div data-hook="rcv-block17" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;" type="paragraph"></div><p class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-9q06a" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She says, “Waiting on God is an act of faith. The greatest thing ever required of us humans. Not faith in the outcome we are dictating to God, but faith in His character, faith in Himself. It is resting in the perfect confidence that He will guide in the right way, at the right time. He will supply our need. He will fulfill His work. He will give us the very best if we trust Him.”</span></span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://thriveministry.org/connection/devotional/secure-in-his-treasure-pouch?fbclid=IwAR0O7M94D7sX1u-SXwPGx70-RSy5VhO260aHx_3KkCgVeA9Y5xkSk6VFC-k" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Secure in His Treasure Pouch</span></a></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thrive Connection</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #191919; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibn7esnLEogDKXaySapoKxu7KgD96uqHa235DUiEk9G3SlnYnoQyADejLyWiltN5tKcLvRjp21kdyylerMHBrpDryUiYKr1Fj30QGbmBxVx3dbrCbBTSnUNsFH6XcoFEuI9J4Hbhnn4OcXyd9ExHlnV73lFLch_oSMcx6wPRVABkvN_w_ItzXDOF44=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibn7esnLEogDKXaySapoKxu7KgD96uqHa235DUiEk9G3SlnYnoQyADejLyWiltN5tKcLvRjp21kdyylerMHBrpDryUiYKr1Fj30QGbmBxVx3dbrCbBTSnUNsFH6XcoFEuI9J4Hbhnn4OcXyd9ExHlnV73lFLch_oSMcx6wPRVABkvN_w_ItzXDOF44=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><p style="background-color: #fcfcfc; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Calm. Peace. Stillness. </span></p><p class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #212529; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; white-space: normal;">David’s hardened heart was instantly transformed through Abigail’s words and actions.</span></p><p class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; direction: ltr; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p></span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://redtentliving.com/2021/11/09/weakness-and-waiting-a-better-story/#more-16140" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Weakness and Waiting: A Better Story</span></a></p><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Red Tent Living</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsCI6slYPxtbIH_94TSAwp6xLXDcX-h3cxR6xcAViAKzVbjQFkmUmmELU92zFsAWcXrsEl1zHiB8M5VrjLF7lio58nyErt4291ttZrEzLNdCW2nZH3vLLhTjw_2dR7tASaxj9ItaEn1qYYBlHAnZa8hikljNgRd5EwkDl5_yoBHtFNIaH-apMGdDel=s970" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="970" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsCI6slYPxtbIH_94TSAwp6xLXDcX-h3cxR6xcAViAKzVbjQFkmUmmELU92zFsAWcXrsEl1zHiB8M5VrjLF7lio58nyErt4291ttZrEzLNdCW2nZH3vLLhTjw_2dR7tASaxj9ItaEn1qYYBlHAnZa8hikljNgRd5EwkDl5_yoBHtFNIaH-apMGdDel=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: left;">His plan was not to grant my requests when I was sure that the timing was perfect, but to teach me to trust Him through waiting in the dark. Now I can see that His lifelong desire for me has been to learn how to praise Him without qualifications..</span><span style="color: #1c3c59; letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: left;">.</span></span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1c3c59; letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1c3c59; font-size: medium; letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://thriveministry.org/.../worship-in-the-worst" target="_blank">Worship in the Worst</a></span></p><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: left;">Thrive Connection</span></div><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVPfmVIHfWp5SIBdi3j4l-zWb2Ong3ChFoTddfvLa46jET_L_7vxV_ucl6THWYk2oZGUILSAm4QaMKv0bKmElnhYXjEX0S5s24mJf4i8-cty0Ch0Pve2yYrm-8J-DF8Zr_axFAhErnLc8s03Fj3SgpvcUM7OA8tW63kKKCbQQxf5YTjNcm_MCqYl1a=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVPfmVIHfWp5SIBdi3j4l-zWb2Ong3ChFoTddfvLa46jET_L_7vxV_ucl6THWYk2oZGUILSAm4QaMKv0bKmElnhYXjEX0S5s24mJf4i8-cty0Ch0Pve2yYrm-8J-DF8Zr_axFAhErnLc8s03Fj3SgpvcUM7OA8tW63kKKCbQQxf5YTjNcm_MCqYl1a=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">No other Scripture challenges me more when I think about what it means to truly worship. In his deep grief, Job refused to harden his heart toward God. Stripped of all the rich blessings he'd received, he understood that God didn't actually owe him anything. What God gave and what He took away was God's prerogative.</span></span></div></span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Am I able to worship in the worst like this?</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1c3c59; letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1c3c59; font-size: medium; letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://velvetashes.com/jodies-top-five-books-of-2021-book-club/" target="_blank">Top 5 Books of 2021</a></span></p><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Velvet Ashes</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMOHPyGehSRo9gEmugPJPSUOZtMcW7OvT81tOY7QWZJkree2lGmDWBrHShQAPJ4-4iXjKOmrUg3HqlCFDWkF-m14wjk3MeUzc5mTTpGPn9ZtxRqtZj2w_SFyIuTpU61IfayqCJxVXGzO1sblZtEXCLwfV8eDAEFzxIOO40UIVaFq_zti49adWJK9sw=s1170" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1170" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMOHPyGehSRo9gEmugPJPSUOZtMcW7OvT81tOY7QWZJkree2lGmDWBrHShQAPJ4-4iXjKOmrUg3HqlCFDWkF-m14wjk3MeUzc5mTTpGPn9ZtxRqtZj2w_SFyIuTpU61IfayqCJxVXGzO1sblZtEXCLwfV8eDAEFzxIOO40UIVaFq_zti49adWJK9sw=w400-h265" width="400" /></a></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Roboto Condensed"; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">My Favorite Devotional, Favorite Critique of the Church, Favorite Interfaith Book, Favorite Spiritual Formation Book, and Favorite Fiction (with some bonus books thrown in as well)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Roboto Condensed"; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">*********</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Roboto Condensed"; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">In 2021 I was also excited to have my very first piece "Holding on to Hope" published in Dayspring's <a href="https://www.dayspring.com/sweet-tea-for-the-soul-comforting-real-life-stories-for-grieving-hearts" target="_blank">Sweet Tea For the Soul: Comforting Real-Life Stores for Grieving Hearts</a>.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqAdjRCbGvGIIBfIwHqt-UvS3iGibuR20R_4fmr_7sp3KqTKf_qv_cuXCzc_TzZjtDLpWpGrNcnp60IC0fIvOaGRpYZ-DTyZcoT0Knje101NStKAXEZGQixDOk-uAid3peYtwAEzhJNt1bttMQvYB9qSRFVLWf3B3ea8CIWFa8hVDODrl9UeumRLuV=s4000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqAdjRCbGvGIIBfIwHqt-UvS3iGibuR20R_4fmr_7sp3KqTKf_qv_cuXCzc_TzZjtDLpWpGrNcnp60IC0fIvOaGRpYZ-DTyZcoT0Knje101NStKAXEZGQixDOk-uAid3peYtwAEzhJNt1bttMQvYB9qSRFVLWf3B3ea8CIWFa8hVDODrl9UeumRLuV=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We named him Daniel, and just like his biblical namesake who bravely encountered a den full of lions, he demonstrated incredible inner strength and courage. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As he came to life again in our home, we felt that we had been given an invitation to be part of his miraculous journey. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even in the valley of death I can choose, like Daniel, to hold on to hope that God will write a different and better story than the one I had imagined.</span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Condensed"; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">*****************************************</span></p><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>For the past three years my writing has grown through an online writing community called Hope*writers. The doors open to new members several times a year, and this week (<span style="color: #2b00fe;">January 24-28</span>) the doors are open. </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>As a special offer, you can now join for a <span style="color: #2b00fe;">30 day FREE trial period</span>! </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you've been on the fence about joining or if you have never heard of HW before, now is an amazing opportunity to check out all the incredible resources offered t</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">o help support and encourage writers </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">to move forward </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">at all stages in their journey. Here's my affiliate link to sign up for your free month: </span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">https://jodiepine--hopewriters.thrivecart.com/join/</span></span></span></div><p style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto Condensed;">******************************************</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto Condensed;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto Condensed;"><br /></span></span></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-55529198054007971202021-12-14T11:56:00.000-07:002021-12-14T11:56:04.316-07:00Here Where I Am You Are<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="3cs6f-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3cs6f-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3cs6f-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Here</span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3cs6f-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3cs6f-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Where</span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3cs6f-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3cs6f-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I</span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3cs6f-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3cs6f-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Am</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="49evv-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="49evv-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="49evv-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">You</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="ihjs-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ihjs-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="ihjs-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Are</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="d6i8-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="d6i8-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="d6i8-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="fp141-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fp141-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="fp141-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Nothing</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="3nf1b-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3nf1b-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3nf1b-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Is</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="bt2us-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bt2us-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="bt2us-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Too</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="3bgkc-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3bgkc-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3bgkc-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Hard</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="3pro9-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3pro9-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3pro9-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">For</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="bceqd-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bceqd-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="bceqd-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">You</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="1ekhn-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1ekhn-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="1ekhn-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="u4tb-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="u4tb-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="u4tb-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">You</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="c5fo3-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="c5fo3-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="c5fo3-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Hem me</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="2bgfv-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2bgfv-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="2bgfv-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">In</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="8dq16-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8dq16-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="8dq16-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Behind </span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="2lo9t-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2lo9t-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="2lo9t-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">And</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="e9kej-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="e9kej-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="e9kej-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Before</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="3iskt-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3iskt-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3iskt-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="beuqa-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="beuqa-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="beuqa-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">You</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="7qrlv-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7qrlv-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="7qrlv-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Lay</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="2gcob-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2gcob-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="2gcob-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Your</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="5egva-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5egva-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="5egva-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Hand</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="e0u2n-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="e0u2n-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="e0u2n-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Upon</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="9nvpm-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9nvpm-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="9nvpm-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Me</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="cp5s3-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cp5s3-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="cp5s3-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="b9rud-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="b9rud-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="b9rud-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Your</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="b0en9-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="b0en9-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="b0en9-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Right</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="9g83n-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9g83n-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="9g83n-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Hand</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="5tpje-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5tpje-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="5tpje-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Holds</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="cidfa-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cidfa-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="cidfa-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Me--</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="fo8kc-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fo8kc-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="fo8kc-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Secure</span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fo8kc-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJKXZpNPLDNTgqhEdntCHrpfnzLnYqdqdRbRF0VTpMpubZ_cedG3jtldcp7m1i-1aT_98evp2r1K9CE0eZwYETd5yMeXHIbYJYMiwqxsj3AhUZbmNBg-0lC6FajKn_wEb7KLMSheJya1zDsj86akBorcgP-vxGnmVSb1twEVHDNwukpN4prWx8otCK=s526" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJKXZpNPLDNTgqhEdntCHrpfnzLnYqdqdRbRF0VTpMpubZ_cedG3jtldcp7m1i-1aT_98evp2r1K9CE0eZwYETd5yMeXHIbYJYMiwqxsj3AhUZbmNBg-0lC6FajKn_wEb7KLMSheJya1zDsj86akBorcgP-vxGnmVSb1twEVHDNwukpN4prWx8otCK=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Darkness</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="8o0nn-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8o0nn-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="8o0nn-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Is</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="2bqmg-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2bqmg-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="2bqmg-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Not</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="4rt9j-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4rt9j-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="4rt9j-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Dark</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="7vgsk-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7vgsk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="7vgsk-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">To</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="8kprn-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8kprn-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="8kprn-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">You</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="c8k8m-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="c8k8m-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="c8k8m-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="3961c-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3961c-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3961c-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Your pure</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="2c40t-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2c40t-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="2c40t-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Light</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="a6t2b-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="a6t2b-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="a6t2b-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Envelopes</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="9hfr4-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9hfr4-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="9hfr4-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Truth</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="ccj7r-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ccj7r-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="ccj7r-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">And</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="3p59k-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3p59k-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3p59k-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Hope</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="8ic8e-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8ic8e-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="8ic8e-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="2b2id-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2b2id-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="2b2id-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Finding</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="7vil9-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7vil9-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="7vil9-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Me</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="dljf3-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dljf3-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="dljf3-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Surrounding</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="84p5m-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="84p5m-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="84p5m-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Me</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="apdr5-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="apdr5-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="apdr5-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Upholding</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="c6cb3-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="c6cb3-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="c6cb3-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Me</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="433um-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="433um-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="433um-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="cm7ds-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm7ds-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="cm7ds-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Calling</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="el0gq-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="el0gq-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="el0gq-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Me</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="8l871-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8l871-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="8l871-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">By</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="5f2is-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5f2is-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="5f2is-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Name</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="eth1m-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="eth1m-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="eth1m-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">"Chosen"</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="1nab7-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1nab7-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="1nab7-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">"Beloved"</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="4k0n-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4k0n-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="4k0n-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="6js26-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6js26-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="6js26-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">You</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="8dc4r-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8dc4r-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="8dc4r-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Are</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="a572i-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="a572i-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="a572i-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Right </span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="cek69-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cek69-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="cek69-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Here</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="2g2po-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2g2po-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="2g2po-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Where</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="9i76s-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9i76s-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="9i76s-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I Am</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="c4ccq-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="c4ccq-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="c4ccq-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="aiaqf-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="aiaqf-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="aiaqf-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">A reflection based mostly on Psalm 139</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1npj3" data-offset-key="559h2-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="559h2-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="559h2-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Photo credit: Jordan Pine, (Mount Etna Volcano, Italy)</span></div></div>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-2993338105247929642021-12-07T13:25:00.002-07:002021-12-07T13:25:17.948-07:00Top Five Books of 2021<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Condensed"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: "Roboto Condensed"; font-size: 16px;">Reading for me is getting lost in words. The best part is when I look up from the book that’s captured my attention to pause and soak in its depth and impact. The worst part is when I look up with my mind completely blank and realize that I can’t remember a thing that I just read.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Condensed"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoax_paEnVixr8yCPclYjFtWsrYB5KxlfObZ00txnvjr1cj6pSi5foTAKwdDaSi1u95356wkdqKsi5gSzRt5jGVliANUCDXxkdGLH-MaZjRDhtuUB-aQdChwk_xJ5vPN9R1b6k_ksxpVMxEP8aGCjaetZrzYEPQyIA58L95jgTwGijrUzd9y4pSgh2=s1170" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1170" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoax_paEnVixr8yCPclYjFtWsrYB5KxlfObZ00txnvjr1cj6pSi5foTAKwdDaSi1u95356wkdqKsi5gSzRt5jGVliANUCDXxkdGLH-MaZjRDhtuUB-aQdChwk_xJ5vPN9R1b6k_ksxpVMxEP8aGCjaetZrzYEPQyIA58L95jgTwGijrUzd9y4pSgh2=s320" width="320" /></a></div>Probably more than anything, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #cc8e36; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Goodreads</span></a> has helped me to keep track of the books that I’ve read, am reading, and want to read. A great discovery for me was that making highlights on Kindle books that I either check out through the library or purchase through Amazon automatically saves them to my Goodreads account as well. As much as I like holding a hard copy book in my hands, I’ve also come to deeply appreciate this highlighting feature for Kindle books.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Condensed"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; text-align: left;">Coming up with my Top Five Books of 2021 definitely wasn’t easy for me to narrow down. I’d love to hear your Top Five in the comments...</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Condensed"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; text-align: left;">In this post I share my Favorite Devotional, Favorite Critique of the Church, Favorite Interfaith Book, Favorite Spiritual Formation Book, and Favorite Fiction (with some bonus books thrown in as well). You can read<a href="https://velvetashes.com/jodies-top-five-books-of-2021-book-club/"> the full post </a>at Velvet Ashes.</div>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-23249509377233731732021-11-09T13:22:00.004-07:002021-11-09T13:49:34.914-07:00Weakness and Waiting: A Better Story at Red Tent Living<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1c3c59; letter-spacing: 0.1px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 32px 0px 2rem; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c3c59; letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In that moment, it seemed crystal-clear that God was answering my prayers in just the right way. An American friend emailed me in China, where our family of five had resided for twelve years, “Isn’t God’s timing perfect that He healed you of your migraines right before you adopt the two children He has for you?”</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1c3c59; letter-spacing: 0.1px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 32px 0px 2rem; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hope gripped my heart as I imagined this fulfillment:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1c3c59; letter-spacing: 0.1px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 32px 0px 2rem; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.1px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;">Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart</em><span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.1px;">. </span><em style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.1px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;">Psalm 37:4</em></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1c3c59; letter-spacing: 0.1px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 32px 0px 2rem; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UMCkptDR0pQky3dS6dlbrmRLbc7Hdrhpkf8PAlMc3UpDHXJtnMQiR7uSE_hweOooRpQmGFUZbb8pfpGKKeICWdobqkDRN3i28K0XK92T9ZcYa4Hk7pQ2DJwM7Elh6qSHQINpMHip26M/s970/Weakness+and+Waiting+photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="970" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UMCkptDR0pQky3dS6dlbrmRLbc7Hdrhpkf8PAlMc3UpDHXJtnMQiR7uSE_hweOooRpQmGFUZbb8pfpGKKeICWdobqkDRN3i28K0XK92T9ZcYa4Hk7pQ2DJwM7Elh6qSHQINpMHip26M/s320/Weakness+and+Waiting+photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1c3c59; letter-spacing: 0.1px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 32px 0px 2rem; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: left;">After experiencing three migraine-free weeks, I felt miraculously free from the imprisonment that had lasted most of my adult life. I couldn’t wait to include this significant chapter in the story of our growing family, giving glory to the God of miracles, a chapter I would name “Healed from Headaches and Adoption Completed in 2008.” But it was never written. God instead allowed my struggle with migraines to continue—like that awful “thorn in the flesh” that Paul described. God’s weighty words to comfort me resulted in profound disappointment in Him: “I have more to teach you about weakness.”</span></div></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1c3c59; letter-spacing: 0.1px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 32px 0px 2rem; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not only did my migraine battle continue, but God also chose for our family to wait five more long years before our adoption was completed. His plan was not to grant my requests when I was sure that the timing was perfect, but to teach me to trust Him through waiting in the dark. Now I can see that His lifelong desire for me has been to learn how to praise Him without qualifications...</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1c3c59; letter-spacing: 0.1px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 32px 0px 2rem; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">***You can read <a href="https://redtentliving.com/2021/11/09/weakness-and-waiting-a-better-story/#more-16140">the rest of the post</a> at Red Tent Living***</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1c3c59; letter-spacing: 0.1px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 32px 0px 2rem; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-81602105052693392542021-10-22T14:37:00.007-06:002021-10-22T14:43:06.481-06:00When God Speaks Through Your Child's Story: Hear Him Louder Series Guest Post<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">We really didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into when we brought our sons, Daniel (7) and David (8), home from the Lanzhou orphanage almost eight years ago. I was rejoicing that our six-year wait to adopt had finally come to completion, but also filled with fear for the future. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTtaeKOoGukD15yy44QXukN_j5fEB3WJ6apoppwSpN4ceAbR4GWUZbJu0yI0fgwn-whgic8HTGZTR0YdJlZpo6L8ge8tKIDm9RgWOZco96VBapQgeqCOUsgUrh5H7RdyauV40rX4hCcU/s1563/louder+pic.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1563" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTtaeKOoGukD15yy44QXukN_j5fEB3WJ6apoppwSpN4ceAbR4GWUZbJu0yI0fgwn-whgic8HTGZTR0YdJlZpo6L8ge8tKIDm9RgWOZco96VBapQgeqCOUsgUrh5H7RdyauV40rX4hCcU/s320/louder+pic.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>Just two days after being officially matched with our boys, we received the devastating news that Daniel was hospitalized twenty minutes from our apartment, returning to consciousness after a six-day coma. A sudden and severe brain infection had robbed him of almost all of his abilities and he was like an empty shell. When my husband and I were given permission to visit him, the doctor told us there was no way of predicting what kind of recovery he would make.</span></div><div data-hook="rcv-block7" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" type="paragraph"></div><div class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-ekdso" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br role="presentation" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;" /></span></div><div data-hook="rcv-block8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" type="empty-line"></div><p class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-3r4r5" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">God restored life to Daniel’s lifeless body</span>. But there was such a huge gap now from where he had been when we first met our boys at the orphanage two months prior. How much of that sweet vibrant boy would He bring back?</span></p><div data-hook="rcv-block9" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" type="paragraph"></div><div class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-c98o4" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br role="presentation" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;" /></span></div><div data-hook="rcv-block10" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" type="empty-line"></div><p class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-2coku" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He was like an infant when we brought him home. I had recently been with Chinese friends rejoicing over the birth of their newborn and lamented over how natural it felt to change a baby’s diaper and how unnatural it felt to change a seven-year-old’s diaper. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. </span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></em></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Or was it?</em></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVtNIRbIQ5az6tc3R2ErjfM_BJ10H6pvfXoy_ZyH6t_2wH-S8yGhNuW51sC0UikU3aKnH58fAkQCf5Rfl4nbZUb0McIFlsHoPvPvJlKzzfT9i-r4gC1t0N9PHz6YvJYkUmz9FVuXkrJI/s981/louder+quote.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="981" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVtNIRbIQ5az6tc3R2ErjfM_BJ10H6pvfXoy_ZyH6t_2wH-S8yGhNuW51sC0UikU3aKnH58fAkQCf5Rfl4nbZUb0McIFlsHoPvPvJlKzzfT9i-r4gC1t0N9PHz6YvJYkUmz9FVuXkrJI/s320/louder+quote.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></span>At that time, I was able to say out loud that God was good, but down deep I didn’t know how His plans through this life-altering illness for Daniel could be good, when they seemed so horribly bad.</span><p></p><p class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-eljml" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-bhn87" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I whispered to God in the darkness, “I don’t know what You’re doing.”</span></span></p><div data-hook="rcv-block15" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" type="paragraph"></div><div class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-12mjd" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br role="presentation" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;" /></span></div><div data-hook="rcv-block16" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" type="empty-line"></div><p class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-b8rfq" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In that difficult season, Elisabeth Elliot’s <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Path of Loneliness</em> ministered to me. </span></span></p><div data-hook="rcv-block17" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" type="paragraph"></div><p class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-9q06a" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">She says, “Waiting on God is an act of faith. The greatest thing ever required of us humans. Not faith in the outcome we are dictating to God, but faith in His character, faith in Himself. It is resting in the perfect confidence that He will guide in the right way, at the right time. He will supply our need. He will fulfill His work. He will give us the very best if we trust Him.”</span></span></p><div data-hook="rcv-block18" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" type="paragraph"></div><div class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-e16vc" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br role="presentation" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;" /></span></div><div data-hook="rcv-block19" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" type="empty-line"></div><p class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-2892i" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">God will give us the <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">very</em> best.</span> Not second best. Or third best. </span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDosEm78xXngXj29wMFmk4x7fxoDvC_XUJb0Xj504cT5f08XlN5ZANTtk0mN4RxYAS5tyqcuewxE4XVvmn2Ep6X0Nn7D-ffOmxBJgQCQtRIAb3nquf30TI7xU2NAx-99m5cj-VdjUEHA/s994/louder+quote+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="994" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDosEm78xXngXj29wMFmk4x7fxoDvC_XUJb0Xj504cT5f08XlN5ZANTtk0mN4RxYAS5tyqcuewxE4XVvmn2Ep6X0Nn7D-ffOmxBJgQCQtRIAb3nquf30TI7xU2NAx-99m5cj-VdjUEHA/s320/louder+quote+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></span>Somehow, even though it felt like it, our reality </span><em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">wasn’t</em><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> Plan B. Could I have faith to believe that Daniel’s brain damage was for his best? And for my best as well?</span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">********************************************************</span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">You can read the <a href="https://www.marniehammar.com/post/when-god-speaks-through-your-child-s-story">rest of the post</a> as part of Marnie Hammar's </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><i>Hear Him Louder</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> series.</span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">*********************************************</span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="mm8Nw _1j-51 _1atvN _1FoOD _3M0Fe _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span class="_2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-28987417392555387032021-07-10T12:13:00.004-06:002021-07-10T12:21:54.228-06:00Following the Fish In the Fire<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today I’m following the fish. The ones that are dangling in the hospital hallway, breezily directing the route from the green elevators to the pre-surgery section of the children’s hospital. Today I know that Daniel is more than ready to be done with surgeries. I tell him I hope so too, knowing there are still likely more to come.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Q_dzPToliyHT0e1mwntqSOOfJclp7GtXLDPZrsLAJztcNC0Vm1B_hg5jU888DHMWn7gV8QerulFi_YI9t9RbSqAA0VW_-2PxwXKshMqL1EJUkrgvr1hkEzFmMR9ALxEa9UetU9gtvyI/s800/fish_decoration_2048x2048.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Q_dzPToliyHT0e1mwntqSOOfJclp7GtXLDPZrsLAJztcNC0Vm1B_hg5jU888DHMWn7gV8QerulFi_YI9t9RbSqAA0VW_-2PxwXKshMqL1EJUkrgvr1hkEzFmMR9ALxEa9UetU9gtvyI/w285-h285/fish_decoration_2048x2048.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-2ac6c2e2-7fff-85d6-6158-18ee734fdb96"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we’re settled into his room for the morning and he’s changed into his gown, the check-in nurse reviews his medical history on her clipboard. She looks up for a moment and remarks, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“He’s really been through a lot.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Yes</i>. I nod.<i> Yes he has</i>.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And to be honest, when we consider his medical chart, it doesn’t seem like God has dealt him a very good hand.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spina bifida at birth.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Viral encephalitis at age 7.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brain cancer at age 14.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three major strikes against him. And yet, he is still here. Fighting and trusting.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Almost 8 years ago, we had just been matched with Daniel and his good friend David, from the orphanage in the same city where we were living in China, when we received devastating news about Daniel’s life-changing illness. An email from the orphanage director informed us that he had just awoken from a 6 day coma, including high fever and seizures, as a result of a severe brain infection. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He was mute for two months after we brought our 7 and 8 year old boys home, and while he relearned how to walk relatively quickly, we were unsure if he would ever be able to talk again. Chinese numbers were his first spoken words, and from there his Chinese vocabulary gradually expanded. He especially enjoyed listening to stories from the Bible.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“上帝在火</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">里</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God is in the fire</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I heard him say to himself one afternoon in our Lanzhou living room, as he was flipping through a Bible picture book. He was studying the beautiful picture of redemption on the page of God leading the Israelites by night out of Egypt.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because of his brain damage, we don’t always know Daniel’s level of comprehension or how he’s processing, so to hear him speak those simple words of truth was a great encouragement to me that day. But even more so, his words spoke to my heart because they were powerful words from God that I needed, and still need, to remember.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>When it was dark, God was in the fire</b>--providing direction to the Israelites who would have otherwise been lost.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace, God was also present in their fire--protecting them from harm.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And when our family has felt surrounded and close-to-being-consumed by flames of testing and trial, God has been right there with us as well.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Isaiah 43:2)</span></blockquote><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In His merciful sovereignty, God often chooses to take us out into the depths and not-around-but-through the fire so that He can be for us what He could not be and accomplish in us what He could not do if all of our days were struggle-free.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5GoTDUpIU59BV6i7E9zGIJkDr6zQPcnXor8si4rH2NvP5W6LOOJJixIMHnXh4x59zJRbHt0AYepkoxrGyg_9iTj1Q_Y5CtGwKRxxbGEEGdCn17asvyEa77CpsJxTpEURhj1nnjWkxc0/s1080/Through+the+Fire.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5GoTDUpIU59BV6i7E9zGIJkDr6zQPcnXor8si4rH2NvP5W6LOOJJixIMHnXh4x59zJRbHt0AYepkoxrGyg_9iTj1Q_Y5CtGwKRxxbGEEGdCn17asvyEa77CpsJxTpEURhj1nnjWkxc0/s320/Through+the+Fire.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: 11pt;">The truth is that He will never leave us to drown or to face the flames alone</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">. </span></div></b></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">In His faithfulness, He has committed to remaining by our side, whether or not we acknowledge His presence. He will never cease providing for and protecting His precious children. To the very end. Even if that end is earlier than we would have hoped. And even if it includes more strength-building suffering than we would have wished.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today I’m inspired by Daniel’s example of courage and resilience as I follow dangling fish in the hospital hallways. Tomorrow I believe that God will provide signposts in other ways as we continue to journey in the midst of the fire. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Where do you see Him in the fire you’re facing today?</i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>What fish has He provided for you to follow?</i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span></p><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-26866143853331697632021-07-01T10:54:00.003-06:002021-07-01T10:57:58.068-06:00Growing Into Bravery After a Child's Life-Altering Medical Diagnosis: A Guest Post<p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKICC4xkbzQcNTD8__9pL91R8_s6vrVGViJ0eDWzONsrm429LqDz_eZV8d4yyQ8NlpEvMS2TiPcpLincKHd20d2z4QZq6BZk3Uf_iEb7-M8vBliCLokRQWw_2t3bC-Kl4ANSdpPqgtQm4/s960/image0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKICC4xkbzQcNTD8__9pL91R8_s6vrVGViJ0eDWzONsrm429LqDz_eZV8d4yyQ8NlpEvMS2TiPcpLincKHd20d2z4QZq6BZk3Uf_iEb7-M8vBliCLokRQWw_2t3bC-Kl4ANSdpPqgtQm4/s320/image0.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-align: center;">I find myself living in the </span><em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">before</em><span style="font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-align: center;"> and </span><em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">after</em><span style="font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-align: center;"> within the framework of diagnosis. </span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">But I've also pitched my tent </span><em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">in between:</em><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> the what is and the what could be, the reality and the never will be, the unanswered question of </span><em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What are you doing God?</em><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> and the nowhere-else-to-go kneeling before Him in surrender. </span></div></span><p></p><div data-hook="rcv-block7" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" type="paragraph"></div><div class="XzvDs _208Ie _1atvN _2QAo- _25MYV _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-6qkmi" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: 700;">There's the everyday kind of brave we grow into.</span></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><p class="XzvDs _208Ie _1atvN _2QAo- _25MYV _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-abm9g" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;">Before we received the news that our not-yet-adopted son Daniel had awoken from a 6-day coma, he lay mostly still, unresponsive in the hospital four bus stops away from where our family of five was living in China. </span></p><div data-hook="rcv-block15" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="paragraph"></div><div class="XzvDs _208Ie _1atvN _2QAo- _25MYV _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-b8i6g" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;" /></span></div><div data-hook="rcv-block16" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="empty-line"></div><p class="XzvDs _208Ie _1atvN _2QAo- _25MYV _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-2ld9o" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;">We had been rejoicing for all of two days because our 6 ½ year adoption wait had come to a celebratory end. We “battled” to be matched with the two boys we had been offered after we were told it would be impossible to adopt them together. </span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br /></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;">When the mail carrier brought us the long-awaited-for documentation that we were officially matched with <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">both</em> of them, we praised God with friends and family around the world. Clearly, God had done the miraculous. <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">But then</em> He brought us to a very unexpected turn in the path with news of Daniel's severe brain infection.</span></p><div data-hook="rcv-block17" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="paragraph"></div><div class="XzvDs _208Ie _1atvN _2QAo- _25MYV _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-6mbn" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;" /></span></div><div data-hook="rcv-block18" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="empty-line"></div><p class="XzvDs _208Ie _1atvN _2QAo- _25MYV _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-ep3or" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;">We didn't know if he would ever be able to walk, talk, or smile again.</span></p><div data-hook="rcv-block19" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="paragraph"></div><div class="XzvDs _208Ie _1atvN _2QAo- _25MYV _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-cot9g" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;" /></span></div><div data-hook="rcv-block20" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="empty-line"></div><p class="XzvDs _208Ie _1atvN _2QAo- _25MYV _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-1ta0m" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Could we still praise God within these non-praise worthy conditions?</span></span></p><div data-hook="rcv-block21" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="paragraph"></div><div class="XzvDs _208Ie _1atvN _2QAo- _25MYV _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-2qtav" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;" /></span></div><div data-hook="rcv-block22" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="empty-line"></div><p class="XzvDs _208Ie _1atvN _2QAo- _25MYV _2WrB- _1atvN public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-9chmv" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-family, unset); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-p-font-size, unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-p-min-height, unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;">At that point I didn't know...</span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br /></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br /></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;">You can read the <a href="https://www.beckyberesford.com/post/growing-into-bravery-after-a-child-s-life-altering-medical-diagnosis">rest of the post as part of Becky Beresford's Brave Women Series here</a>. </span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br /></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;">***************************************************</span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br /></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br /></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br /></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;"><br /></span></p></span></div>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-71560691702022536902021-06-14T12:35:00.005-06:002021-06-14T15:19:31.959-06:00In This Together<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; text-align: justify;">Stiff, cranky, and tired, I wheeled our luggage, alongside my weary fourteen-year-old cancer warrior, through the automatic door of the Proton Center as the sky was darkening. We had crossed the finish line of his first week of radiation for brain cancer, and had anticipated a relaxing weekend back at home. But our transportation service was not able to locate a driver and so after 3 ½ hours of waiting, we needed to return to the Ronald McDonald House.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07reHOpclwEDMcOh0Cprj-ktzQ7JquAyrfy0M_HF9T3npGQ_ZxCfS5rWx4uFgrz5PfbbJZrXinvbpnCxjvD8kf0H6OvVDBNFnQRc2Axmv-J1jHYj6O-mo2OOvCVSzIFtPCQji0ojpqVc/s1500/Pinterest_Jodie+Pine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07reHOpclwEDMcOh0Cprj-ktzQ7JquAyrfy0M_HF9T3npGQ_ZxCfS5rWx4uFgrz5PfbbJZrXinvbpnCxjvD8kf0H6OvVDBNFnQRc2Axmv-J1jHYj6O-mo2OOvCVSzIFtPCQji0ojpqVc/s320/Pinterest_Jodie+Pine.jpg" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; text-align: justify;">Our Uber driver cheerfully introduced herself. With an unexpectedly radiant smile, Chandra shouldered the burden of our bags. And as we began to drive across town, the bright ray of her sunshine from the driver’s seat brought the light I needed in the backseat to reframe my frustration. I found the knots of stress loosening from my shoulders as I absorbed her encouragement, and gratitude began to replace my grumbling. With genuine interest in Daniel, she inquired how he was feeling. She told him—in all of his baldness—that he looked beautiful, and with her transferable joy she communicated how “for us” she was.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsLtWOztRPJqxRlPwfNjUKbtZvZ1bGb7kJF532yNi0SYbPJlq5c5wJH6v3dD2x8ORyKxU3atrilB7p4IZ3F-_B72xdvGUvBxNSsRqcK0n3yANICPsZot7g-1GnI4jNtcGIg6UA0bC6Ho/s1500/Twitter_Quote_Jodie+Pine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1500" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsLtWOztRPJqxRlPwfNjUKbtZvZ1bGb7kJF532yNi0SYbPJlq5c5wJH6v3dD2x8ORyKxU3atrilB7p4IZ3F-_B72xdvGUvBxNSsRqcK0n3yANICPsZot7g-1GnI4jNtcGIg6UA0bC6Ho/w400-h134/Twitter_Quote_Jodie+Pine.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; text-align: justify;">“</span><em style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; outline: 0px; text-align: justify;">We’re in this together,</em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; text-align: justify;">” she exclaimed, after hearing that Daniel had three more tough weeks of radiation ahead. “</span><em style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; outline: 0px; text-align: justify;">You’re going to do great!</em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; text-align: justify;">“</span></div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 0px 13px; outline: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;">And as we exited the sanctuary of her car, she even offered to drive us two hours home the next day, free of charge, if our transportation service didn’t come through.</span></div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 0px 13px; outline: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Mother Teresa said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”</span></div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 0px 13px; outline: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;">When discouragement tried to drag us down, we rode the ripples of Chandra’s compassion...</span></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; height: 22px; outline: 0px;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 0px 13px; outline: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4l6tKEwepxwpH5RFSVcGU6lXsCBEE_crBeb8yLQJJmV7eXd5fLTy3mZCIxGuk1BYoQubP2fboXvecKUFVrcSrXFJpJdvzcD8W5ljg8uSCwQm0aQSP-BdSM_hIbY9pPeGoLArP0yfbW6c/s600/Square_Quote_Jodie-Pine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4l6tKEwepxwpH5RFSVcGU6lXsCBEE_crBeb8yLQJJmV7eXd5fLTy3mZCIxGuk1BYoQubP2fboXvecKUFVrcSrXFJpJdvzcD8W5ljg8uSCwQm0aQSP-BdSM_hIbY9pPeGoLArP0yfbW6c/s320/Square_Quote_Jodie-Pine.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; text-align: justify;">You can read the </span><a href="https://theuncommonnormal.com/2021/05/30/spotlight-2-strangers-who-cared/" style="font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; text-align: justify;">rest of the post</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; text-align: justify;"> at The Uncommon Normal: Begin Within Gratitude series. </span></div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 0px 13px; outline: 0px; text-align: justify;">It was an honor for me to contribute to this beautiful collection of gratitude posts.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHr6tcJB34iJdRfNEuCdgVE1Oa0VLVoiMZQwBi-8WyqMf0gMboL6yIHHk8VfvZ5cqvRL_RH93E4PV3NPXW3TwGVzScUpLWDMGyrcKeyHpZanZc4vbOcoEgwPjM5dQdbLD01qdedrKWr1Q/s1024/Bio-Short_Jodie-Pine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHr6tcJB34iJdRfNEuCdgVE1Oa0VLVoiMZQwBi-8WyqMf0gMboL6yIHHk8VfvZ5cqvRL_RH93E4PV3NPXW3TwGVzScUpLWDMGyrcKeyHpZanZc4vbOcoEgwPjM5dQdbLD01qdedrKWr1Q/s320/Bio-Short_Jodie-Pine.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Linden Hill"; font-size: 20px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 0px 13px; outline: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-91479776161770844702021-06-02T20:03:00.007-06:002021-06-02T20:13:11.322-06:00Welcome<p style="text-align: center;"> I heard Jesus say</p><p style="text-align: center;">You belong here</p><p style="text-align: center;">I saved you</p><p style="text-align: center;">A seat</p><p style="text-align: center;">At</p><p style="text-align: center;">The</p><p style="text-align: center;">Table</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">I prepared a feast</p><p style="text-align: center;">Abundant for you</p><p style="text-align: center;">And your place</p><p style="text-align: center;">Is right</p><p style="text-align: center;">Here</p><p style="text-align: center;">With</p><p style="text-align: center;">Me</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUS8qkPREjBOvIPfggjFcylLcgvZhxvTMwHOhOMS6-Kgv2yHweKrNznZhAluIgMKyn-_hVIfNIpntZp-txpgDj00G_Z8plgnc7KVcQTUKZsH8Ex9g0eEhRZ4C56UxzzYGr2T5IpUHnIlI/s2048/20210524_130758.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUS8qkPREjBOvIPfggjFcylLcgvZhxvTMwHOhOMS6-Kgv2yHweKrNznZhAluIgMKyn-_hVIfNIpntZp-txpgDj00G_Z8plgnc7KVcQTUKZsH8Ex9g0eEhRZ4C56UxzzYGr2T5IpUHnIlI/s320/20210524_130758.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I know that you heard</p><p style="text-align: center;">You didn't belong</p><p style="text-align: center;">But that wasn't </p><p style="text-align: center;">My voice</p><p style="text-align: center;">It</p><p style="text-align: center;">Was </p><p style="text-align: center;">False</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">My arms are open</p><p style="text-align: center;">My mercy is wide</p><p style="text-align: center;">My kingdom</p><p style="text-align: center;">Isn't</p><p style="text-align: center;">Complete</p><p style="text-align: center;">Without</p><p style="text-align: center;">You</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">I created your voice for </p><p style="text-align: center;">My salvation song</p><p style="text-align: center;">From the beginning</p><p style="text-align: center;">Of time</p><p style="text-align: center;">To</p><p style="text-align: center;">The </p><p style="text-align: center;">End</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">My intentions for blessing</p><p style="text-align: center;">Can never be stopped</p><p style="text-align: center;">My grace</p><p style="text-align: center;">Is way</p><p style="text-align: center;">More</p><p style="text-align: center;">Than</p><p style="text-align: center;">Enough</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-4ntmkb11aDF2ZiEV21DGE15YH6qLaLOzLBcKMMwOCn-i8T8SEE6JomVIo8mLPaK6D10OoZ2paRI4Cy_-6yDGvpYHkcBlSBr-2h6QQ5rZLgFooopcRJ44ewAzCeNckJYHsExUD7in_o/s2048/20210527_162338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-4ntmkb11aDF2ZiEV21DGE15YH6qLaLOzLBcKMMwOCn-i8T8SEE6JomVIo8mLPaK6D10OoZ2paRI4Cy_-6yDGvpYHkcBlSBr-2h6QQ5rZLgFooopcRJ44ewAzCeNckJYHsExUD7in_o/s320/20210527_162338.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">*from my soul care retreat at Lake Michigan last week</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-69637239380745272732021-04-27T11:27:00.007-06:002021-04-27T11:46:00.070-06:002021 Wives of Integrity Conference<p><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">Free registration for the <b>2021 Wives of Integrity online conference</b> is now open! I'm thrilled to be included in the lineup of over 60 incredible women who will be speaking on topics including communication, intimacy, faith, finances, forgiveness, parenting, trauma and heartache, military marriage, and wisdom for newlyweds.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhda8VRuCBkAF3PXS9cbEghfNBleJ2ibq6fZFp0izuqGl4o-XaWduqQL9TFRQz2waUXXve-MdD3CEoZlQkQmRmBlqPnCEkVF0EG3EnLsDkZdKW-nFi9EosKjCjY01LEeV6M0TGjBxE39Mc/s1080/16.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhda8VRuCBkAF3PXS9cbEghfNBleJ2ibq6fZFp0izuqGl4o-XaWduqQL9TFRQz2waUXXve-MdD3CEoZlQkQmRmBlqPnCEkVF0EG3EnLsDkZdKW-nFi9EosKjCjY01LEeV6M0TGjBxE39Mc/s320/16.png" /></a></div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"><p>My pre-recorded 30 minute workshop will go live on May 14 (Day 5). It's called <b>Differences by God's Design: Discovering Deeper Connection Instead of Division</b>, and I'll be sharing about critical lessons Charly and I have learned (and are still learning) in our marriage of almost 27 years. </p><p><b></b></p></span><p></p><blockquote><p><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"></span></p><p><b>My workshop description</b>: Sometimes glaring differences in the way we are made can cause us to feel like our spouse is the enemy. We can feel resentful, wishing that "he was more like me" or even that "I was more like him." But coming to a greater understanding of God's design in these differences can help us to grow in our relationship with ourselves, with our husbands, and with God.<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></p><p></p></blockquote><blockquote><p><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"></span></p><p>He can provide enlightenment and empowerment for our marriage desire that both of us would become all that God made us to be, freed to pursue those unique good works He prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10). In this workshop you'll have the opportunity to journey alongside Jodie through the lessons she's learned along the way in Mirror, Marriage, and Ministry. The accompanying workbook will provide helpful reflection questions for you and your spouse to work through in these three areas.</p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFyLvBuEPk5Xck54kAgPd1secstMY26pfXctG58m4x22Occ6_kY9Nvwk_-K3kEOTBHFqOCV0PqmNuDNcq7GKyfX4KHHIDkERByqhv0DigjxgaaqFaqTdCZ_kc5OrJ6dIofz8DQgdqDWk/s1080/Jodie+Pine.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFyLvBuEPk5Xck54kAgPd1secstMY26pfXctG58m4x22Occ6_kY9Nvwk_-K3kEOTBHFqOCV0PqmNuDNcq7GKyfX4KHHIDkERByqhv0DigjxgaaqFaqTdCZ_kc5OrJ6dIofz8DQgdqDWk/s320/Jodie+Pine.png" /></a></div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><p style="font-size: small; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">*********************************************************</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Here's <a href="https://www.marriagelegacybuilders.com/a/2147486042/AUw2zYYd">my affiliate link</a> to reserve your free spot.</span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">********************************************************</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Free registration</b> will give you 24 hour access to each of the 5 days' workshops and accompanying workbooks.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once you register with the link above, you'll have the option of upgrading (before May 9) to the <b>early bird All Access pass for $39</b>. The biggest benefit of the upgrade is that you won't have to try to squeeze all of the great teachings into your schedule that week. You'll have a full year to enjoy all of the 60+ workshops (with the ability to re-watch your favorites), as well as over $200 worth of surprises. During the conference week, the All Access price goes up to $59. </span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm going to do a social media give-away on May 9 at noon EST for a $25 Amazon gift card for those who upgrade to the All Access pass. If you'd like to be included in the drawing, you can private message me a screenshot of your purchase through <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jodiepine/">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jodiejournal/">Facebook</a>.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcEGVZhA7cMaTUKpZbNSO6AfPDEYfD66ByjySD7hFQG74PCKR0djZALqlmVsg87vaVln46bnsDPS0n5r7ksKL-9eEOBDIFt8t_40AzOqG_shJtp6pUyThd8cW8iwTGd1xDe3chnzPVn4A/s1080/24.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcEGVZhA7cMaTUKpZbNSO6AfPDEYfD66ByjySD7hFQG74PCKR0djZALqlmVsg87vaVln46bnsDPS0n5r7ksKL-9eEOBDIFt8t_40AzOqG_shJtp6pUyThd8cW8iwTGd1xDe3chnzPVn4A/s320/24.png" /></a></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I can't wait to see how God is going to use this conference in significant ways around the world. Last year over 30,000 women participated and for many of them, it was life-changing.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hope to <a href="https://www.marriagelegacybuilders.com/a/2147486042/AUw2zYYd">see you there</a>!</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-27634932885157825202021-04-26T18:28:00.002-06:002021-04-26T18:28:47.387-06:00Finding Belonging in a Foreign Country<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZhh4o_hTFM69NqKhVn7Biu7qj7qAduYdPPGRCzTh3ttlFLAim7z-XVnHfFfjRhfHmgYQj2Q1Y7p8pHbs_Ih-chuK_yySnqAjhlAhW94SFuhUf2OlfelzXmacoqlcmQC9PLD9etWo6KM/s1080/Foreign+Country+IG.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZhh4o_hTFM69NqKhVn7Biu7qj7qAduYdPPGRCzTh3ttlFLAim7z-XVnHfFfjRhfHmgYQj2Q1Y7p8pHbs_Ih-chuK_yySnqAjhlAhW94SFuhUf2OlfelzXmacoqlcmQC9PLD9etWo6KM/s320/Foreign+Country+IG.png" /></a></div>As a newly married introvert, I found that the label 外国人 “foreigner”
was the only thing that fit me in our newly acquired host culture. While
my extroverted husband with his natural language ability and flexible
personality seemed custom made for China, I felt out of place. <p></p>
<p>If you would have selected me with chopsticks out of a boiling pot of
homemade dumplings, I would have been the one whose thin wrapping had
busted apart so that my filling had become indistinguishable from the
broth. <em>Who was I?</em> Just a pale tasteless jiaozi wrapper with no substance.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDndkG4fYJmIzBcrJFpRbAkdP_5pLHsYsfi7lfS2iv7GDoxZMpdD9yAgXYRRTtI8ETCcfc0AYDj-_pfcmAGBacXP4ee-fPGJNAeqYUing-juWHRmFugv7lHRWKThOVSj7rO_XeV7l7uc/s750/charles-deluvio-d-vdqmtfaau-unsplash.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDndkG4fYJmIzBcrJFpRbAkdP_5pLHsYsfi7lfS2iv7GDoxZMpdD9yAgXYRRTtI8ETCcfc0AYDj-_pfcmAGBacXP4ee-fPGJNAeqYUing-juWHRmFugv7lHRWKThOVSj7rO_XeV7l7uc/s320/charles-deluvio-d-vdqmtfaau-unsplash.webp" width="320" /></a></div><b></b><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Finding myself in a new country</b>
</p><p>For three years we squeezed into two connecting dorm rooms in Foreign
Teachers’ housing, at the same university where my pre-married husband
had completed two years of language study. I squeezed my own slowly
progressing Chinese lessons into baby #1 and then baby #2’s nap times. I
squeezed my Flying Pigeon, with carefully balanced bags of produce from
the market on my handlebars, through shoulder to shoulder bicycle
traffic. One night I even squeezed myself into the baby’s crib while my
husband entertained an audience of English students with his animated
Chinese stories in our living room/bedroom. </p>
<p>Squeezed became my middle name.</p>
<p>And I struggled to make peace with my identity that had gotten squeezed out.</p>
Not only was I wearing the impossible-to-blend-in general label of
“foreigner,” but my specific vocation of “stay at home mom,” I
discovered, was a very foreign concept. When I answered the college
students’ most frequently asked question, that my ideal job was “to be a mom,” there was simply no category in their brains to put me.
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Because I didn’t fit, I questioned that I had anything to offer.</strong></p><p style="text-align: left;"><strong></strong></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlOGTe6zFLllnrepCI3GVfZrPgUGjOdnQpGhlfukVJ5od_ycjbtk7S8mOQVZ-VGKT5hpoLTf5tr32xTKagQRsdRplRO3_mtWJ0gPaxeYxIyhOhmUVD2p4I08xe6ShfOFya6Qk_Ke-Jzg/s1080/4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlOGTe6zFLllnrepCI3GVfZrPgUGjOdnQpGhlfukVJ5od_ycjbtk7S8mOQVZ-VGKT5hpoLTf5tr32xTKagQRsdRplRO3_mtWJ0gPaxeYxIyhOhmUVD2p4I08xe6ShfOFya6Qk_Ke-Jzg/s320/4.png" /></a></strong></div><strong><br /></strong><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong> </strong>You can read the rest of the post at Sarah K Butterfield's <a href="https://sarahkbutterfield.com/2021/04/26/finding-belonging-in-a-foreign-country/" target="_blank">Out of Place series</a>.<strong> </strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><strong></strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> <br /></strong></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-76834967208975595082021-04-14T16:38:00.001-06:002021-04-14T18:07:05.003-06:00A Spacious Place<p>From wherever you might stick your “<i>I am here</i>” pin in the
world map I have thumb tacked on my wall, have you felt trapped there?
Fearful? Unsettled and restless this past year?</p>
<p><i>I have too.</i></p>
<p>Our collective souls feel weary from lugging around the weight of
these feelings, like heavy suitcases we haven’t been able to hand off at
the airport check-in counter.<i> </i></p>
<p>Sheltering in place has sucked much away. Confined us. Limited our
lives to the space between four walls. Where the very air we breathe has
possibly grown stale. And we’re longing for escape. </p>
<p><b>To a spacious place.</b></p>
<p>In a recent live interview from his orbit a full 400 kilometers away from earth, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvFNQ644CBU">astronaut Mike Hopkins</a><span style="color: black;"></span>
said that being enclosed in the International Space Station these past
four months has shrunk his world down to a much smaller space. But at
the same time, he has been connected to the vastness of our universe as
never before. On the occasions when he can leave the station for a space
walk, there are breathtaking sights to see—a view most of us will never
get to witness firsthand.</p><p><i>And yet, we can experience a similar change in perspective. </i></p>
<p>Last year in his battle with brain cancer, my 14-year-old son
finished his 4th round of chemo on Good Friday, and then underwent four
weeks of radiation treatment. He had to lie perfectly still and was
confined by a tight fitting helmet/mask that clipped on to the radiation
table, so that the proton beams would go to exactly the right places in
his brain and spine. </p><p>
Ahead of time, he had chosen ten of his favorite worship songs for
his playlist. As the technicians prepped the equipment to his unique
specifications, they also turned up his music so that it filled the
radiation room with a reminder of God’s presence. One time specifically... </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLysfRRhAkY6UgCPIPG6J1QixiIlrV660GMRzqlbBVhjX9csw2w_lc6A9CzIOH1arztqUkCyrhw6bHPI1QWjo-srRjlxKdmdmsAXUQ-9Qik1KjTvukLAwFn3NvoWuhNVfyyRYj5P-Rg7U/s1200/psalm-18_19-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLysfRRhAkY6UgCPIPG6J1QixiIlrV660GMRzqlbBVhjX9csw2w_lc6A9CzIOH1arztqUkCyrhw6bHPI1QWjo-srRjlxKdmdmsAXUQ-9Qik1KjTvukLAwFn3NvoWuhNVfyyRYj5P-Rg7U/s320/psalm-18_19-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">You can read the <a href="https://velvetashes.com/a-spacious-place/">rest of the post at Velvet Ashes</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"> <br /></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-69459530378773489252021-03-19T09:30:00.003-06:002021-03-19T09:33:29.916-06:00The Problem<div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="text-align: center;"><div>Women are not the problem</div><div>Asians are not the problem</div><div>Black Lives Matter is not the problem</div><div>Mask mandates are not the problem</div><div>Immigrants are not the problem</div><div>The problem is where we think the problem is.</div><div> </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="text-align: center;"><div>The problem runs deeper</div><div>And is embedded in our fabric</div><div>It's woven into our flag</div><div>That hangs in our churches</div><div>And marries Christian with Nationalism</div><div>But where, should we ask, is Jesus?</div><div> </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="text-align: center;"><div>Whose voices are we listening to</div><div>As White noise in our lives</div><div>Who have we given power to</div><div>And how do they regard the powerless</div><div>What do they say our problems are</div><div>And how we can make America great "again"?</div><div> </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div style="text-align: center;">Throughout American history</div><div style="text-align: center;">What sins have been justified and even exalted?</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="text-align: center;"><div>What spiritual manipulation has been preached from our pulpits?</div><div>"Slaves obey your masters"</div><div>"Honor those in authority"</div><div>"Women know your place"</div><div> </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="text-align: center;"><div>But control has led to</div><div>Corruption</div><div>And cover-up</div><div>A kind of celebrity</div><div>Christian culture</div><div>That leaves us confused when those above reproach fall from grace</div><div> </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="text-align: center;"><div>But where can grace be found?</div><div>Jesus said Blessed are the poor and those who mourn</div><div>The meek, the gentle, the merciful</div><div>Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness</div><div>The pure in heart and the peacemakers</div><div>Blessed, he said, are those who are persecuted because of righteousness</div><div> </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div style="text-align: center;">Who, we might ask ourselves, are we persecuting?</div><div style="text-align: center;">And who are we protecting?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Where can we find the peacemakers standing in righteousness?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Whose blood is crying out to us from the ground?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Will we allow ourselves to hear it</div><div style="text-align: center;">And to reckon with the problem that's in our own blood.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzTvDouPkQniH-BErmr4MvPM8CbMoEyD9OhRjmCWD_qbzFX_LnuQieOTBF3hwd_mNjM0CqoToYR78j8rL9Jgv43Lx9JoVBxHsel5-lxzr_rd5zMBS2mzAigYgCBEycUOTh-VdLNJX6-Q/s720/the+problem.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzTvDouPkQniH-BErmr4MvPM8CbMoEyD9OhRjmCWD_qbzFX_LnuQieOTBF3hwd_mNjM0CqoToYR78j8rL9Jgv43Lx9JoVBxHsel5-lxzr_rd5zMBS2mzAigYgCBEycUOTh-VdLNJX6-Q/s320/the+problem.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Here's<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jodie.pine.3/videos/10158032275652816/"> a video of my reading this poem</a><br /></div></div> </div></div>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-12892728266399017082021-02-15T16:04:00.000-07:002021-02-15T16:04:28.610-07:00Finding Contentment in Disappointment<p>How can I be content when life doesn't turn out at all the way I've hoped and prayed? </p><p>
One of my most difficult seasons of wrestling with God came
through two hope-filled prayer requests that I knew would be quite easy
for Him to answer and would fit together just perfectly for our family. <br /></p><p>The chapter I would have been very content to write for myself if
God had handed me the pen would have been Healed from Headaches and
Adoption Completed in 2008. </p>
But instead, God allowed my migraines to continue as an undesired
thorn in my flesh. His words of promise to me were not for physical
healing but for His ongoing work in my life through a different path: “I
have more to teach you about weakness.”
<br /><p>And it would be five additional long years before our two adopted
sons joined our family. Our oldest son ended up returning to the US
from China on his own to start college as the rest of our family
continued to wait in Gansu province. God's promise was not to work
according to our timetable, but to help us hold on to hope: “My timing
is perfect. Trust me.” </p><p>
God didn't hand me the pen to write the chapter I wanted because
my version of the story was not the best one. And even though I still
don't understand all of the why's, one day I believe He will enable me
to. When that day comes, I will thank Him for the pain and brokenness He
used to create a beautiful story of His design. Until the day when all
confusion will be brought to light, He is enabling me–little by
little–to find contentment in the midst of disappointment. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO84dpLgPDVdmqoLrST-lsdvDEDvwXg3WApX47sQPDB66_qsEhyM9nLm9ClUBmT7_3oM-Vf3sDA0PQJ3ZsaOF_mDgqBs5qhC0t8v2hmbWWYyw97jeaGDhItjQyTcDg_bcXBu8PcTW_4O8/s1200/06_Finding-Contentment-in-Disappointment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO84dpLgPDVdmqoLrST-lsdvDEDvwXg3WApX47sQPDB66_qsEhyM9nLm9ClUBmT7_3oM-Vf3sDA0PQJ3ZsaOF_mDgqBs5qhC0t8v2hmbWWYyw97jeaGDhItjQyTcDg_bcXBu8PcTW_4O8/s320/06_Finding-Contentment-in-Disappointment.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p>You can read <a href="https://thriveministry.org/connection/devotional/finding-contentment-in-disappointment?utm_source=Connection&utm_campaign=79b41ebb11-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_08_06_08_28_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_59f8971ca4-79b41ebb11-73048018">the rest of this devotional</a> at Thrive Connection.</p><p>I'm excited to have the opportunity to share more on this topic next week at <a href="https://thriveministry.org/gatherings/2021/gather">Thrive Gather</a> (February 22-26). </p><p>My session "Waiting as Worship" will be February 23 at 7 pm EST. I'd
greatly appreciate your prayers for myself and for each of the women who
will be attending.</p><p>It's not too late for women involved in cross-cultural ministry to register for this online retreat. And there's also the option of gifting the retreat experience to someone else. So much is offered for only $50!<br /></p><p><br /></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-35813333880746544102020-12-20T11:31:00.005-07:002020-12-20T13:21:31.717-07:00A Prayer of Lament<p style="text-align: center;">God, I can't see what you're doing</p><p style="text-align: center;">I wish things were different</p><p style="text-align: center;">I feel like I'm constantly adjusting</p><p style="text-align: center;">My <i>hopes</i> with <i>reality</i></p><p style="text-align: center;">You say you never change</p><p style="text-align: center;">But it can be hard to find the constant</p><p style="text-align: center;">To feel anchored</p><p style="text-align: center;">Not tossed about</p><p style="text-align: center;">I long for <i>stability, certainty, assurance, control</i></p><p style="text-align: center;">But they seem out of reach <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2etXxO4h_14sRjFyx6icSHsg8HMisvLl55qWerGYosFAE2iQy9auXgV4teqW_xm00P6KWESWw__0TIMjxTnMbTFBWMNDzM0iI9VpNAQXo6FBDDlhuveBAbZXPAG1YJAr36ySfi3uzpms/s2000/patryk-sobczak-9VPtNW84vGI-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2etXxO4h_14sRjFyx6icSHsg8HMisvLl55qWerGYosFAE2iQy9auXgV4teqW_xm00P6KWESWw__0TIMjxTnMbTFBWMNDzM0iI9VpNAQXo6FBDDlhuveBAbZXPAG1YJAr36ySfi3uzpms/s320/patryk-sobczak-9VPtNW84vGI-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>I don't think you actually want those things for me</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">If I had them</p><p style="text-align: center;">Where would be space </p><p style="text-align: center;">For trust to grow</p><p style="text-align: center;">For <i>dependence, faith, unconditional love</i> for you</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAEu8x6MjpcaFij3Wbb_XyQcxmU5MuQA2lgahgmHdSUtlnECr9MtAGcUt8RMVMq_qxIE69tTWo6vB5kQDnc5mAABPfn_n9YZX2HxgtB3fz5StutPfkvqHQ4kG4p_3BaEgbSfL6lh_PEI/s612/istockphoto-931928960-612x612.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAEu8x6MjpcaFij3Wbb_XyQcxmU5MuQA2lgahgmHdSUtlnECr9MtAGcUt8RMVMq_qxIE69tTWo6vB5kQDnc5mAABPfn_n9YZX2HxgtB3fz5StutPfkvqHQ4kG4p_3BaEgbSfL6lh_PEI/s320/istockphoto-931928960-612x612.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">You take me through deep waters</p><p style="text-align: center;">Because you know I can't keep swimming</p><p style="text-align: center;">You toss me a life jacket</p><p style="text-align: center;">And say, "<i>I'm here. You will not drown.</i>"</p><p style="text-align: center;">I don't see you right now</p><p style="text-align: center;">But I believe </p><p style="text-align: center;">You must be here </p><p style="text-align: center;">You are <i>for</i> me</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>God, help me to trust you</b> </p><p style="text-align: center;">Beyond my capacity </p><p style="text-align: center;">In this moment.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;">*I wrote this prayer during the closing session of a webinar I attended yesterday called "Abiding with Jesus Through Lament" by Mark Looyenga </p><p style="text-align: left;">*photos by Unsplash and iStock <br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-22843603304485228952020-12-07T13:49:00.001-07:002020-12-07T13:49:26.426-07:00Thrive Gather 2021<p><a href="https://thriveministry.org/gatherings/2021/gather">Early bird registration</a> is now open for Thrive Gather 2021. If you are wondering what to give the women in your life who are ministering overseas or in a cross-cultural setting, this virtual retreat is an excellent choice. <b>The cost is only $35 through the end of this month!</b> On January 1, the price of the Feb 22-26 retreat will go up to $50. <i>Incredibly affordable with countless opportunities for growth and renewal.</i> The greatest benefits of this online retreat are no travel costs and unlimited registration. Even if you have attended a Thrive retreat before, you are invited to join this one as well. <b>All are welcome.</b><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHU7Ccgvtg8zBY-cJTHhNrodqdQ6aQSgVkOdBN2XK4jS7jFmm31_G360DpVZ-fHnj7xpBn_2nXZFTsTbGSjFxj8hN8AcFw2m8MGqM731SBzW3foKpnPnaIAU2Ufb4hOcaRP8acNa2HQw/s1349/Screenshot_2020-12-07+2021+Gather.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1349" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHU7Ccgvtg8zBY-cJTHhNrodqdQ6aQSgVkOdBN2XK4jS7jFmm31_G360DpVZ-fHnj7xpBn_2nXZFTsTbGSjFxj8hN8AcFw2m8MGqM731SBzW3foKpnPnaIAU2Ufb4hOcaRP8acNa2HQw/w640-h256/Screenshot_2020-12-07+2021+Gather.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>The week's schedule of 20 plus teaching sessions takes the world's time zones into consideration. If you are unable to participate in a live session, you can catch the recording later. <i>As a huge bonus, all recordings of the sessions that you sign up for will be available to you indefinitely so you can watch and re-watch your favorites. </i></p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center;">Here is a sampling of <a href="https://thriveministry.org/gatherings/2021/gather#gatherings-schedule">session topics</a>:</p><p style="text-align: center;">Feeling Rootless?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Expectations and Burnout</p><p style="text-align: center;">Habits for Healthy Relationships</p><p style="text-align: center;">Lessons in Forgiveness</p><p style="text-align: center;">In the "Mist" of Crisis <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Spending Time with God When Time is Limited</p><p style="text-align: center;">I Know Who I Am</p><p style="text-align: center;">Self-Care: Is it Doable...Is it Selfish?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Building Support Networks as Singles</p><p style="text-align: center;">Esther: For Such a Calling as This</p><p style="text-align: center;">Intrepid Women in Missions: Lessons Learned <br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><blockquote><b>My teaching session is called "<i>Waiting as Worship</i>:"</b> How can we turn our waiting into worship? In whatever undesired
circumstances we find ourselves in, opening our hearts and our hands
before God helps to give us a posture of surrender. </blockquote><blockquote>In this session,
we'll reflect on both personal and Biblical examples of waiting on God,
and we'll consider the inner transformation that can take place,
regardless of whether God "comes through for us" in the way that we
want. </blockquote><blockquote>You'll come away with a hope-filled challenge to wait patiently in
worship of our mysterious God, whose ways we often struggle to
understand, with a surrendered trust that He is working in deeper ways
than we will ever know. </blockquote><p> </p><p></p><p>Also offered during the retreat week will be opening and closing sessions, small group prayer times, group worship, personal worship, Bible studies, one-on-one counseling, one-on-one medical consultations, fitness classes, social hours, and game nights. </p><p>Be sure to check out the beautifully designed <a href="https://thriveministry.org/gatherings/2021/gather">Thrive Gather 2021 landing page</a> to get more details and to register!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-57380958151406199122020-12-01T14:30:00.005-07:002020-12-01T14:40:21.978-07:00Thrive Connection<p></p><p>This past year I've been honored to be on<a href="https://thriveministry.org/connection"> Thrive Connection</a>'s devotional <a href="https://thriveministry.org/connection/author-team">author team</a>. Thrive Connection is described as "a daily devotional to encourage women in their faith and
life overseas. It brings the Word of God and conversation with sisters
into their day-to-day lives."</p><p>This February I'm excited to serve as a retreat facilitator, leading a session called "Waiting as Worship," at <a href="https://thriveministry.org/retreats">Thrive's virtual retreat</a>. I'll share more details with you in the weeks to come about how to register yourself and/or how to gift this retreat to a woman who is ministering overseas.<br /></p><p>Below is the intro of my most recent devotional called "<i>Making a Name for Myself</i>." You can read the rest of it <a href="https://thriveministry.org/.../making-a-name-for-myself">here</a>. And you can subscribe to Thrive's daily devotionals, delivered to your inbox <a href="https://thriveministry.org/subscribe">here</a>. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4o4FJJFRQHiUVvkcMVrpXINzQq7ytcSY3fM31tf4DfEzUEoxeGV-HNxMfsth_NoqtKgZH7LYqhBiNkTi9EgO2_pd_V7B3zIU1TwZkCkpKQb-m7XJp1FGXLHziorXGZJbjbV1WGBCTE8/s1200/ContentfulIn-KindSupportBlog-copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4o4FJJFRQHiUVvkcMVrpXINzQq7ytcSY3fM31tf4DfEzUEoxeGV-HNxMfsth_NoqtKgZH7LYqhBiNkTi9EgO2_pd_V7B3zIU1TwZkCkpKQb-m7XJp1FGXLHziorXGZJbjbV1WGBCTE8/s320/ContentfulIn-KindSupportBlog-copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">*************************************************************<br /></p><p>Honor. Importance. Recognition</p><p>During an extended time alone yesterday, I unpacked my ideas of
success and discovered that those three words are integral with how
successful I feel.
<br /></p><p>I scribbled this question in my journal, “Whose kingdom am I building?”</p>
Am I making a name for myself? Or making a name for God?
<br />
<p>Am I like my ancestors who labored on the Tower of Babel, trying to
make themselves known, make themselves great, make themselves
invincible. Or am I like Abraham, of whom God said:</p><div style="text-align: center;">
"<i>I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.</i>" </div><div style="text-align: center;">Genesis 12:1-3</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div>
Clearly I want to be like Abraham, as I'm sure you do, too: a humble
receiver of God's great blessings. Who sets out to serve God overseas
with the expressed motivation of being a narcissistic blessing-chaser
like the Babel builders? But reading these two parallel passages
challenges me to think about the way I actually live. Am I promoting
myself while only pretending to walk in faith?
<br /><p>How can I evaluate how humble I really am and where my heart is? </p><p>
Yesterday, God shed light on my identity in Him and on the
importance of abiding, of clinging to the Vine (John 15:1-8), of being
sustained by the Source of Life. Apart from Him, I can truly accomplish
nothing. Nothing of any worth or value. He will be about the business of
pruning, whether or not I give Him permission, but I get to choose how I
respond. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Let's send my honor, recognition, and importance to the fire,
where they belong.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6GkfD0Z2VKdIhTBsI6ZygC3835yQKORh0CWlorCR02C1ZJqiWChmDdWfrxBysJ-66eCfEFiBLXkX7sk37GPM178nZOiC-YOc4o-hYEhq3FsSzahJdlDnESS9q3w2oYKtXcH3nQx7SeA/s1200/making-a-name-for-myself.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6GkfD0Z2VKdIhTBsI6ZygC3835yQKORh0CWlorCR02C1ZJqiWChmDdWfrxBysJ-66eCfEFiBLXkX7sk37GPM178nZOiC-YOc4o-hYEhq3FsSzahJdlDnESS9q3w2oYKtXcH3nQx7SeA/s320/making-a-name-for-myself.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://thriveministry.org/connection/devotional/making-a-name-for-myself?fbclid=IwAR315DshoCnBH7ntPNPHOgdP8tQO8Natl6QUZRZx1Z1yig5efFr4TDRReiI">Making a Name for Myself</a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">***************************************************************************<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">My other Thrive devotionals this year: </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlCW_OuKgw3XXTcGUhApJGG62ooIWo6AB5Ue1FQfk3iIDa7yM8bzKmncWtyUnHDsyqGlSXdlt0roV72Mnne5PuALKzqTJoIGkeXEgJRcmIaN6IROkG1ywI-mWhPJjxzG-WuCjbBxMJ5c/s1200/How-Were-Seen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlCW_OuKgw3XXTcGUhApJGG62ooIWo6AB5Ue1FQfk3iIDa7yM8bzKmncWtyUnHDsyqGlSXdlt0roV72Mnne5PuALKzqTJoIGkeXEgJRcmIaN6IROkG1ywI-mWhPJjxzG-WuCjbBxMJ5c/s320/How-Were-Seen.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://thriveministry.org/connection/devotional/how-were-seen/"><span></span><span></span>How We're Seen</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjL7Zbt_3JZpkqTrVjNIYaJIyDMautAFK8m0AUpSe2G1AiDUBKsAmdW-1MnvWTt4vyEh_68MRdLK3huTnLgNeDTt9QAZnRucIk0Z9Z479n28JmhdM8MvSU_Bu3apWsJ7lXI_Sy35RfBU/s1200/The-Wholeness-of-Disability.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjL7Zbt_3JZpkqTrVjNIYaJIyDMautAFK8m0AUpSe2G1AiDUBKsAmdW-1MnvWTt4vyEh_68MRdLK3huTnLgNeDTt9QAZnRucIk0Z9Z479n28JmhdM8MvSU_Bu3apWsJ7lXI_Sy35RfBU/s320/The-Wholeness-of-Disability.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <a href="https://thriveministry.org/connection/devotional/the-wholeness-of-disability/?fbclid=IwAR0RbmaTPIEpQV0oq4VpWhRENYdjc2yBiDq0kkdn2_CSCeUdz1LHq0ITG98">The Wholeness of Disability</a> </span><span> </span><span> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> <br /></p><p></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-3598208510284028202020-11-13T08:56:00.007-07:002020-11-13T08:58:09.371-07:00Always Hope<div><p>"Always Hope" was featured as part of Sarah Westfall's Not My Story essay series this week. Here's the intro and you can read <a href="https://www.sarahewestfall.com/essay-series/2020/11-11-20/always-hope-jodie-pine">the full post</a> at her site. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9vMxdDF3FOA-QeDZmAjH2ipKJHQnxnJ6q7cLdhyuoVYCyPshnMdnUUHukS0Ry2gklC3UDyrTF_c3DbtV782N9PAXcf5YKjkhmAUiYmUnfLNdiEKjvEB5NjePl7rIWbJYMoTQukq1FaU/s960/Not+My+Story.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9vMxdDF3FOA-QeDZmAjH2ipKJHQnxnJ6q7cLdhyuoVYCyPshnMdnUUHukS0Ry2gklC3UDyrTF_c3DbtV782N9PAXcf5YKjkhmAUiYmUnfLNdiEKjvEB5NjePl7rIWbJYMoTQukq1FaU/s320/Not+My+Story.png" /></a></div><p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Our not-yet-adopted son lay unresponsive. Despite the doctor's pessimistic declaration 没有希望, “no hope for him,” he had defied the odds and awoken from a six-day coma. Unexplained seizures the week before had caused the orphanage nannies to rush him to Lanzhou's military hospital, where he had spiked a high fever and slipped into the deep waters of <i>the valley of death</i>.</p><p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The life-changing news of Daniel's six-day coma arrived just two days after our family had been matched for adoption with Daniel (7) and David (8), who grew up “like brothers” in the orphanage together.</p><p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We requested special permission from the orphanage director to visit Daniel in the hospital, which was only four bus stops away from our apartment. There, the doctor informed us that his diagnosis was viral encephalitis, but he was quite hesitant to share any further details or to answer our many questions, as his orphan patient's not-yet-parents. </p><p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF-zspapzwSGxeK7iPAMrlAnFW_Lk4kjOrgFDtPyQaSV5_h5LaQGAWsHypJI1uRd3rgCya0WtyC4UWSNEOTcDa_LAV-FC_ZBT5OofpzXcZx6jAykjAPD_z8rmSD9dXkiVyjIHlArHTf4/s1280/Not+My+Story+3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF-zspapzwSGxeK7iPAMrlAnFW_Lk4kjOrgFDtPyQaSV5_h5LaQGAWsHypJI1uRd3rgCya0WtyC4UWSNEOTcDa_LAV-FC_ZBT5OofpzXcZx6jAykjAPD_z8rmSD9dXkiVyjIHlArHTf4/w266-h400/Not+My+Story+3.png" width="266" /></a> </div><p></p><p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>The reality settled in for us that there was no way anyone could predict what kind of recovery Daniel would make.</b></p><p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“<i>Dear</i> <i>God, is it possible for me to love this boy?</i>” </p><p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I seriously doubted the capacity of my mother's love as I stood beside Daniel's hospital bed and gazed into his vacant eyes. How much of this shrunken shell of the sweet vibrant boy we had met two months earlier would come back to life?</p><p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Three weeks later, we carried him up our nine flights of stairs and gingerly embarked on unknown treacherous waters. We had no clue what we were doing and had absolutely no idea of what God planned to teach us about hope through Daniel's bleak situation. </p><p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">On that first night, I stood beside his bed in the dark of night and whispered, <i>“God, I don't know what you're doing.”</i> </p><p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>I projected five, ten, fifteen years into the future with a son who couldn't communicate with us. And I felt the heaviness of hopelessness.</b></p><p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">But our son Daniel, just like his biblical namesake who bravely encountered a den full of lions, demonstrated incredible inner strength and courage. He relearned how to walk and talk, how to feed himself, how to use the bathroom, and he learned anew how to interact with a family of seven. The greatest gift he gave to us was his joy-filled laugh. And as he came to life again in our home, we felt that we had been given an invitation to be part of his miraculous journey. </p><p style="text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXrt3gTFbhE9NmCNhVPIPlLoq9X5VsTILI2t4MmfNFHsk6HcQmMq9j51czZony3gBy7Y9xKMjilJtOLQwxRXXBxkC0LzD3cpbiedhluqNVF06VWcw0UCCZ0Ue4ku_cAvJMVWKZcU5EEI/s960/Not+My+Story+2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXrt3gTFbhE9NmCNhVPIPlLoq9X5VsTILI2t4MmfNFHsk6HcQmMq9j51czZony3gBy7Y9xKMjilJtOLQwxRXXBxkC0LzD3cpbiedhluqNVF06VWcw0UCCZ0Ue4ku_cAvJMVWKZcU5EEI/s320/Not+My+Story+2.png" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>Even in the valley of death, there is always hope.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><p></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405148269097016922.post-64987793765017613562020-11-06T15:35:00.003-07:002020-11-06T16:36:04.482-07:00Christian Women's Self-Care Conference<p>I'm excited to share that I will be one of the speakers for the the Christian Women's Self-Care Conference that's happening next week (November 9-13).</p><p>One of the great things about this virtual conference is that you can participate in how much or little you'd like. And you can stay in your pajamas! There will be over 50 awesome speakers covering a wide array of topics related to self-care. The links for each day's 10-12 pre-recorded workshops will be emailed to each registrant. Those workshops will be available for 24 hours, so you can watch them whenever it works in your schedule. And each 20-30 min workshop also has a free downloadable workbook.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnnJCYcviA_qchzhYBDp16NWVzO5cBPixKsdCFEb9xDyvdE62jZ-ybACgBrj2zBLX4BpD_ECmlKUlor8JHlekjquGxlMP503mrrKoek4kGdItovgvyqXM88tPSy8426oPfiuOBxF8UKs/s526/2020+self+care+conf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnnJCYcviA_qchzhYBDp16NWVzO5cBPixKsdCFEb9xDyvdE62jZ-ybACgBrj2zBLX4BpD_ECmlKUlor8JHlekjquGxlMP503mrrKoek4kGdItovgvyqXM88tPSy8426oPfiuOBxF8UKs/s320/2020+self+care+conf.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>You can register for FREE by November 8 with my affiliate link:</p><p><span face="Lato,Verdana,sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: small;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://selfcaresistersociety.teachable.com/p/free-2020-christian-womens-self-care-conference?affcode%3D735245_bdkibwch&source=gmail&ust=1604761748287000&usg=AFQjCNFNijc3etxDRFXF2-yYZSI3mkPy5A" href="https://selfcaresistersociety.teachable.com/p/free-2020-christian-womens-self-care-conference?affcode=735245_bdkibwch" target="_blank">https://selfcaresistersociety.<wbr></wbr>teachable.com/p/free-2020-<wbr></wbr>christian-womens-self-care-<wbr></wbr>conference?affcode=735245_<wbr></wbr>bdkibwch</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d;">Once you register, you have the option of upgrading to the All-Access Pass, which offers unlimited
access to all the workshops, even after the conference is over, plus some pretty amazing bonuses, including a personal retreat guide, 7 day study on rest, Undefeated e-book, Words to Live By--Scripture Care pack, and a Life Worth Living journal. Starting November 9,
there will be no free registration and the All-Access Pass goes up to $29. </span></span></span></p><p><span face="Lato,Verdana,sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqFyjDZabBLtIuxhWtJ0sphc5VcnKwg6gQ-IUqIjaqjz7F44kmLAUOlMZ6QbBcrjRqX6LL3PHbYG_4Yviy4QDhE2SioctXCd2UrR24x2YW_QHc0M6tylP0A73SofobmLkzfqNqaE2qFE/s1080/Day+1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqFyjDZabBLtIuxhWtJ0sphc5VcnKwg6gQ-IUqIjaqjz7F44kmLAUOlMZ6QbBcrjRqX6LL3PHbYG_4Yviy4QDhE2SioctXCd2UrR24x2YW_QHc0M6tylP0A73SofobmLkzfqNqaE2qFE/s320/Day+1.png" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 16px;">I'm one of the speakers on Day 1, Nov 9. Thrilled to be included in this amazing lineup of women! </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 16px;">Speaker topics include: </span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 16px;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">What the Bible says about self-care. <br /></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Self-care as an act of worship.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Creating routines to overcome anxiety.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Breaking free from negative family patterns.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Moving from striving to surrender.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">How to develop a biblical body image.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Mastering your mindset to stop believing lies and embrace God’s truth.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Self-care (body, mind, and soul) for leaders in every field.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Soul care in the midst of life’s storms.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">How to prioritize your relationship with God during the busy holiday season.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">How to take care of yourself with chronic illness.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Self-care for the overwhelmed woman.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">How to get past comparison.</div></span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="Lato,Verdana,sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBiMlTlFk8L7DM2ipGG01UkJAY-N9kBi7G1B_ZtQAGTPRXCAl8i2yYogU3BDDKIqSyaZs_1uvI6HKffwarZeqh2Fl69SKhCw0V6OFbjK3YV95zhO9SBq3jFIScNXlyuHShdVFQ2Qx3iQ/s1080/Jodie+Pine.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBiMlTlFk8L7DM2ipGG01UkJAY-N9kBi7G1B_ZtQAGTPRXCAl8i2yYogU3BDDKIqSyaZs_1uvI6HKffwarZeqh2Fl69SKhCw0V6OFbjK3YV95zhO9SBq3jFIScNXlyuHShdVFQ2Qx3iQ/s320/Jodie+Pine.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Lato,Verdana,sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span><span><span><span>I'm sharing what God has been teaching me about repentance and rest this year, through Daniel's cancer journey, centered on Isaiah 30:15.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="Lato,Verdana,sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span>Really hope to see you there and I'd love to hear your feedback! </span></span></span> </span></span><br /></span></p>Jodie's Journalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201364640423354312noreply@blogger.com2