He Knows!!

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He Knows!!

I hope everyone had a great and relaxing Labor Day weekend.  We had a pretty nice time.  We got to spend time with family and was able to relax and have fun.  Labor Day weekend is a hard weekend for us.  Kirk was a huge drag race fan so every Saturday of Labor Day weekend we would spend the entire day as a family at the NHRA Nationals.  We would take a picnic lunch and spend the day meeting drivers and Emily would get several autographs.  Kirk's Uncle Rick would go out there with us.  One year, Kirk got the opportunity he had been dreaming of for quite some time.  He actually got to work on a alcohol funny car for an entire weekend.  He got to meet some really great guys and got to live out a dream before he left us.  He was so happy and so excited to get that opportunity.  I am so thankful that he did get to do that. 

We spent this Saturday of Labor Day weekend with my sister Crystal, her husband Brian and their daughter Zoey.  They invited us to go with them to St. Joseph Michigan for the day.  We spent the day up there and ended up having to go to South Haven to get out of the rain that we didn't know about.  So we sat on the beach and then went back to St. Joes to shop.  Both towns were very nice and we really enjoyed our day.  It was almost like being at the ocean, almost!!! 

On our way out from St. Joes, we passed a church that had a sign out front that simply said, He Knows.  When I seen those words I had to smile.  It is amazing how God speaks to you, how He knows what you need to hear and finds a way every time to make sure you get His message.  Some days I wonder if God still hears my cries and my prayers and then there it is, a message that yes He does still hear my prayers and knows my pain. 

The one verse that I always look to and memorized is Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  This is something that all of us have to remember, no matter what life throws at us.  Hope, if we do not have hope, then what do we have?  If we don't put our hope in Jesus, we have nothing.  I believe that my path has brought me to this point to write to encourage others that might not see the hope in their situation.  Romans 5:1-8 tells us, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we boast in the Hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, HOPE.  And HOPE does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.   But God demonstrates his own love for us in this; While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Seeing that sign, He Knows, gave me the bump I needed to make it another day.  Because He Knows, I know that He is always with me.  He is always by my side, making my way down the path He designed especially for me.  It's not a glamorous path, it's not suppose to be.  I cannot bring glory to God if I live on a golden road.  I cannot give him all the glory and be a testimony if I have never had any struggles in my life.  No matter what, I will praise Him because I know my hope is in Jesus. PERIOD!!  Psalm 39:7, "But now, Lord, what do I look for?  My hope is in you."

Lord I pray for my family and friends that are struggling with life.  I pray that they accept you in their hearts and tap into that eternal hope and love that you provide.  Life is hard, but with You, I know my future.  Lord I want everyone that I love and care for to be in Heaven so we can spend eternity together.  Lord I just want to glorify you in whatever I do while I'm here on this Earth.  In Your Precious Name Amen!!

As I was writing this, I was informed of a situation with a dear sweet sister Karen.  She passed away this morning of a long illness.  She was a writer for A Widow's Might and was one of the sweetest ladies that I have ever met.  When I decided to start writing blogs for A Widows Might, she was the one that helped me with my writing and would help me make my posts better.  We talked on the phone several times and emailed each other quite often.  She is a fellow Hoosier and lived about two hours away from me.  I got to meet her in person back in November at A Widow's Might conference at Myrtle Beach.  I remember walking in and seeing her sweet smile.  We had planned on meeting for lunch over the summer but we never got the chance.  I ask that you keep her family in your prayers for comfort and healing.  Karen is now in the arms of our beautiful Savior Jesus Christ and is now reunited with her loving husband.  Karen knows no pain, no sorrow, has no tears, just joy!!!!  Thank you Lord for putting Karen in my path.  Thank you Karen for being a wonderful writer, mentor, but mot importantly, a beautiful friend.  I will miss you and I love you with all my heart. 

This is Kirk at the last NHRA Nationals.  We had a great day and enjoyed watching all of the cars.  He loved going, and we loved sharing those memories with him!!  Love and miss you to the moon and back!!