A typical "footprints in the sand" sort of thing

Throughout this last year my family and I have gone through quite a bit of stress. We're not the only ones. It seems as if stress and worry have eroded the joy and happiness of many of our friends and family. 

I've heard from many people during this last season of life how God will not give us more than we can handle. My response has been that it is not God with whom I am worried about giving me more than my family can handle: it's all the junk and dysfunction that others bring my way (plus my own shortcomings) that brings me concern. 

There's a lot of hurt, angry, and mean people out there. And, as we've seen on may bumper stickers, hurt people hurt people. And mean people, well, ... you know. 

The Apostle Paul has the gift of causing all of us to realize that we do not have it that bad. During his time on earth, Paul was persecuted, beaten, shipwrecked, jailed, despised, and a plethora of other things that brought him sorrow after sorrow, but, after so many difficulties, he was able to say that: 

"8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4)

Life with God and without God is filled with both difficulties and joys. Yet, for those of us who follow our Lord, we know first hand that He will be with us through all things and will never forsake us. In that we can find hope, trust, and, though it may seem absurd, joy. 

Even as I sit here writing this I find myself swamped with wanting to share so many insights and experiences we have endured throughout the 2010 to 2012 bumps in the road. Yet, I can agree with Paul on this: we may be pushed to places we will find extremely difficult and painful. But we will make it to the other side and see that God was with us through every step of the way.