thankful#8: difficulties

“Learn to appreciate the difficult days.”  
Is how my devotion began today..

looking back to 
our most difficult days 
makes my heart smile

“WHAT?!”
“you can’t be serious?!”

but I am serious.  
very.

I’ve shared here on Blessings
snippets of our toughest days
and on occasions
 when I have been asked to share my testimony 
I have shared 
“my agenda” (haha)
which brings to mind the quote 
“if you want to hear God laugh …tell Him your plans”

my plan (was): 

• degree
• job 
• tenure 
• Masters degree
• marriage
• children
• “happily ever after”

God’s plan:

• one year of college
• marriage
• job offer(2 weeks before graduation)
• Hired to teach 1st grade (my dream job)
• Masters
• 5 years of infertility 
• 2 second trimester losses
• 26 weeks bed rest with Tucker
• 26 weeks bed rest with Jake
• leave dream job of 12 and a half years
• come home to mother and teach our “answered prayers”
• GLORIFY HIM anyways and ALWAYS

 and by HIS GRACE 
I am learning to do just that

GLORIFY HIM
anyways
and ALWAYS 

in the face of
difficult days
of the past
present 
or future

the 
discouraging
disappointing
frustrating
STRESS filled days

I WILL CHOOSE 
TO REMEMBER
the days my whole body hurt 
because of my broken heart 
and how
I cried OUT LOUD to My Savior
“I’M MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
when I would hear of others who were expecting and ungrateful
and how I would scream out 
“I’M SAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
as I lay empty on my bed
“I DON’T LIKE THIS!!!!!!!!! or WANT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

I WILL REMEMBER how when I 
” CALLED on HIM in the DAY OF TROUBLE 
 how HE RESCUED me ….
and 
RESTORED the joy of my soul!
and made me glad

I WILL REMEMBER
circumstances change 
HE DOESN’T

I WILL REMEMBER 
and GLORIFY GOD
THE GREAT
..”I AM..”

thankful#8: difficulties