A Well Watered Garden

Dear Reader: With my daughter’s permission I am sharing the testimony she gave this past Sunday of God’s faithfulness to us. To Him be the glory and praise and power forever.   On Tuesday July 23 rd I received an email from Maureen McCullough informing me that I had been chosen to be one of the recipients of the McCullough bursary. I was so grateful and thankful to receive this small piece of good news…something that I felt had been lacking in my life for the past few months…good news. I continued to read Maureen’s email only to learn that The Bursary was established in 1997 to honour the memory of three members of the McCullough family who lost their lives in a tragic car accident. All three were involved in teaching in the Ontario public school system and devoted to making a difference in the lives of children. After reading this email I was overcome with emotion. One week before the deadline to submit my bursary application on a similar Tuesday morning, Tuesday...

Another first... Last year we had my Papa and Julius at the dinner table. Couple of weeks later my Dad passed away - slipped away in his sleep. Six months later Julius was gone to heaven. To be honest I have asked God "What are you thinking God?" "How do you expect me to move on with so much loss and grief?" And "What is coming next?" I confess that none of these questions are answered because they are not worthy to be asked. God is Sovereign, He is Creator and He is in control and I am so comforted by His Word. In the book of Job I read: But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?      What he desires, that he does. 14  For he will complete what he appoints for me,      and many such things are in his mind . Job 23:13-14. And again in Lamentations 3 For the Lord will not cast off forever, 32  but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;  33  for he doe...

Moving along in the study, I am so challenged with the concept of finding complete satisfaction in God. Today is 5 months since the day Julius went home to His Creator. I have an ache that does not leave me. It is constant – often unbearable. In my finite thinking – the only thing that could change it, is if I had Julius by my side and that is not going to happen – ever on this side of heaven. How is this void ever going to be filled? How am I going to go on? Please don’t tell me or tell yourself that time heals – it does not. The Bible tells us the gospel contains all we need “for life and godliness.” 2 Peter 1:3. As I wrestled with this, I remembered another woman with an ache as deep as mine.   Dear Reader, come on this journey with me and see how God can grant to those who mourn   “ the oil of gladness instead of mourning,      the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, ...

Continuing in the "Breaking Free" study by Beth Moore, God has been faithful to show me what He meant when He said to me that He will reveal Himself to me like I never have seen Him before. Looking at Jesus in Luke 4. He had just been tested in the wilderness and as Luke describes "Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit..." Luke 4:14. He then describes a dramatic moment and I cannot say it better than he did: 16  He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17  and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18  “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,      because he has anointed me      to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners      and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed f...