It's been a while since we've chatted, and I will confess, I've missed posting tidbits of my growing thought processes to the world.wide.web :-)
It you live in Joplin or the surrounding area, you've undoubtedly seen chaos, heart break, and total devastation the past few weeks. How do you move on from that?
At the end of the day, you'll move on however you choose. A friend of mine said it best when he said something to the tune of, "The glory of God must be exalted higher than the works of the enemy" (I wish I could remember his exact statement, but it escapes me. I am, however, in the ball park of the general idea).
I can only speak as one, but I've committed myself to maintaining a heart of praise and a spirit of peace. I don't really know my audience here, but I'm not concerned who reads or who doesn't. The truth is God has been and is good and I know who I belong to. More than that, I know who Joplin belongs to, and I believe a time of change and restoration is coming. Do I believe God did this? Not for a tenth of a second, but I am confident that He'll continue to move through it because He can't be outdone, outsmarted, or over-ruled, and I would take that to the bank.
We fight a real enemy, whether it's made evident in tornadoes, sickness, bankruptcy, or broken homes. You can fight the battle alone, or you can rest during times of trouble knowing who holds all victory. I've made my choice, and I have yet to regret it.
So this one's for you, Joplin. We've got a city to rebuild :-)
