2010 Year Verse

As I thought about a verse to meditate on throughout this year, Romans 5:3 & 4 kept coming to mind.

NIV "...we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

I don't choose a verse every year, but have the last few years. I really liked my verse last year (Romans 15:13) which focused on God filling me with all joy and peace and overflowing in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. That's a real feel-good verse. When I first was drawn to this year's verse I thought, "Oh, no. I've had enough suffering. I'd prefer a happy verse." But...I kept coming back to this verse.

I'm beginning to get it. God wants me to live life from an eternal perspective. We've definitely had (and have!) our challenges, but knowing what I know now, I'd still choose this life over one without the character building and hope. God has been so faithful to us! I hesitate to even say our lives are filled with suffering. All it takes is one look at the news of the suffering in Haiti from the earthquakes to know our lives are cushy.

Maybe this year will bring more suffering. If it does, God will be with us. If things get easier for us, maybe I just need to get this verse down pat to help me deal with present difficulties.

And, oh joy, the verse ends with the word, "hope." God's hope never disappoints us.

Disappointment...God's opportunity?

We've had disappointing news. Russ' favorite therapist...the man most skilled, most friendly, and most open to the gospel of all those who have worked with Russ is moving back to his hometown on the island of Kyushu.

We will miss him! This man trained the other therapists. We were so fortunate that he was assigned to Russ. He always seemed to know exactly what to do and the best way to do it. We had great conversations with him. He gladly accepted the Bible we offered him.

We don't know why God is moving him, but I'm confident we can trust God to do what is best. Maybe there is someone in Kyushu who desperately needs an expert therapist like our beloved Mr. E. We would like to have been the ones to lead him to faith in Jesus, but God can use someone else to take it from here. Maybe the new therapist God will send us is someone who needs to be in our home to rub shoulders with Christians.

Looking at it from the perspective of eternity, this is just the closing of one chapter and the opening of another. I wonder what the Author has in mind next?