People are always asking me where I find my strength. “How is that you are so strong”? they ask.

I always love to give them my answer. “My strength comes from God”. HE is my strength. Without Him, this difficult cancer journey, life’s trials and these raging storms would destroy me. Having a relationship with God is where I find comfort, strength, love, and hope. No matter what I may face, I KNOW He is bigger. Amen!  His love, His strength is always enough to sustain me, to sustain you. At some point in life a storm will come. The rains will fall and we will need to be rescued.I often imagine myself curled up in a fetal position sitting on my Heavenly Fathers lap. Much like I did as a child in my earthly fathers lap. I would sit in my daddy’s lap each time I was sad, broken and needing comfort. Tears would stream down my face as I desperately needed him to ‘make it better’.  And he did, without fail I would lean on him as ‘he made it better’. While I imagine myself all curled up in Gods lap feeling safe in His arms, I can feel His love. I can feel Him caressing my cheek, wiping away my tears, and I hear His gentle whispers, “it will be ok child, Daddy has you”. I cling to Him in this child like way and let His strength carry me. Safe in the arms of My Savior! ‘He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds’.  Psalm 147:3.

Sometimes life can feel so down right unbearable! Leaving us with aches that are so strong and a hurt that is extremely painful. These aches, these hurts can leave wounds so deep that you aren’t sure you will ever heal. This is where I am right now in my life. Right now, I’m a frail, broken little girl who is weeping in the arms of my Father. Desperately needing Him to wrap me up, hold me tight, wipe away my tears, and ‘make it better’.

The beauty in this deep pain is knowing that Gods plan is bigger than I could ever begin to imagine! I know that even as life seems so completely unbearable now, God will rescue me from this raging storm. One day, His plan will be revealed and I have hope for the future even though right now I don’t understand His plan. 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”.

While so much of life doesn’t make sense to my human mind, God is a sovereign God and His love never fails. I hold on to His love, keep my eyes on Him and cling to His word. He has promised me throughout His word that He will never leave me, nor forsake me.  This doesn’t ease the pain of my broken heart right now, but it does give me hope that one day I won’t hurt anymore. I rejoice in knowing that because God loved me enough to send His son to bear my sins I can now live in eternity with Him where there is no suffering, no pain. I also rejoice in knowing that Gods kingdom is growing through my suffering, through our journey, and I will now spend eternity with those I love. It might be hard for me to endure the pain right now, and wow I do wonder how I will wake up each day and face the deep wounds, these deep voids of my heart! Yet I know God will be there and I can curl up in His lap anytime. Some wounds can only be filled by Him. My friend calls them ‘God shaped voids’.  So, I know beneath this pain, these voids, God will be my source of strength…just as He has always been. I find comfort here. I may not know now how I will face each day, but God does. He’s already there and He is ready to meet me with open arms and hold me tight.

I also find comfort in knowing God is using me in a powerful way. Being a source of light for Him brings me joy. Sometimes it’s hard for me to understand why He chose me? Why through my brokenness others are drawing closer to Him? Yet I know that God uses all things to work together for His good. His plan is much bigger than I can comprehend. All I need to do is trust. Continue to glorify Him. This comfort, this joy I experience as a result of ‘Hope Daisy’ has provided me with so much strength. God knew what I needed long before I could even begin to understand! Seeing Him work through me and share my faith, spread His goodness and love so that others can rejoice in Him, have eternity with Him….Now that’s powerful, that’s strength!

I want to encourage you to seek God. Let Him be your source of strength. Curl up in His lap. I promise…it’s big enough for us all. He’s waiting to draw you close, hold you tight, and be your source of strength.

Blessings!