While out shopping the other day I saw these words written on a plaque.

If God showed us the whole journey, we’d never take the first step.

I thought it was interesting and made me think about life a bit. I tend to be an optimistic person by nature and feel that God will carry me through the difficulties in my life. I have not liked those times of trial, but I have made it through them and come out a stronger person, not through anything I did other than pray, but because of God’s promise as written by Moses to the Israelites as they were on the verge of entering the Promised Land. The Lord your God will be with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

My mother’s good friend Pearl comes to mind when I think about adversities in life. Pearl was a wonderful person with a beautiful family and a loving disposition. She faced the loss of both parents by the age of 14, the loss of a brother in high school, the loss of two husbands and a fiancé, the loss of another brother in a horrible accident, serious health problems and one child suffering from substance abuse issues. I wondered each time another devastating heartache occurred, how she herself could endure this despair and go on, maintaining a positive attitude. The answer was surely in the Christian life she lived and her commitment to faithfulness and trust in God’s promises.

God wants us to live out the vibrant life He envisioned for us far beyond our doubts and fears. By His unconditional love for us He encourages us to let go of our burdens, knowing He will carry them for us and walk beside us. We may not know what the future holds, but we can trust the Author with the story’s ending. Thanks be to God!

Patty