Sorry I didn’t post this up yesterday…

I was meeting up with one of the youths during my youth pastor days. She has graduated from college and is now enrolled in seminary to be a Christian counselor. She is so excited about the Lord and how He will lead her to use her. And I was excited because God has shown His goodness again to me in this way.

She told me that all those years of being a youth under me, she heard the messages but simply didn’t quite connect. However, sometime during her college years, all of sudden, it started clicking for her. All the things she did and learned in youth, it started making sense! I asked her what she thinks prompted it. Because it’s obvious it’s not that way for a lot of her friends who still seem to be finding themselves and haven’t really found the Lord. She thought for a moment and said that it was her father’s illness. He was deathly ill a few years ago, and they lost almost everything through medical expenses. It was that hardship that made her really think about life and what’s important and what’s not.

God throws problems at those whom He loves.

Before every miracle is a problem.

And the miracle is that our eyes are open and see God as He is.

And so often, it is a problem that gets us to see God in His goodness and mercy.

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

Ps. 46:1-2

Our God is a God that saves us THROUGH our problems and not FROM our problems.

If you are in the midst of a storm, stay still and know that God is God!

PH