Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

I have learned over these many years how our Heavenly Father sometimes treats His children.  It may surprise you. Our Heavenly Father is the only perfect Father there is. He knows each of us more intimately than any earthly parent ever could.  He is equal parts mercy and discipline, and both are done in the purest love imaginable.   Everything He does, He does in love. Everything. Now that we have established that, let's talk! I recently looked back at some of my blog entries and I noticed a pattern.  I write a lot about suffering.  Lots of referrals to Job.  Lots of lessons being learned, spiritual growth, and such.   But lately, I've started to wonder if all  of my life is supposed to tip heavier on the suffering side of the scale.  And if there is no seeming let-up, what’s a girl to do? We’ve heard all of the grape analogies. The crushing, the pruning, the tilling, the waiting for ripening, etc., etc. But when you are the grape (!), you may start to think, ok, when do we get

So the other day, I wrote about being crushed by the Lord, and how it is for our ultimate good.  Read that entry here:  Stop, Jesus! You're crushing me! But then today, I had another revelation about crushing.  And I need to write about it again because I want you to know about the different types of crushing and how to tell the difference between them. When the Lord crushes us, He is after something in us that He wants to expose in order to heal or get rid of.  It is a painful process, but ultimately, like removing a splinter from under our skin, it is for our good. However, when others try to crush us in order to lord themselves over us via power, manipulation, or control, that is bad.   Now that may seem an obvious statement.  And perhaps you can perceive when this is happening to you.  I cannot always tell the difference. When you see all as coming either from, through, or allowed by God's Sovereign hand, it's easy to write everything off as "teachable moments,&qu

Have you ever been crushed by Jesus?  Job said, "Though He slay me, yet I will trust Him." Been there, too, Job.   But crushing feels worse than slaying.  What on earth am I talking about, you may wonder!  God is not a sadist!  Indeed not. I don't know if you are this way, but a lot of the time, I need to talk to know what I'm thinking!  Sometimes, as I'm talking to a pastor, a friend, or whomever, words just come out of me that I had no intention of saying.  It's like the Holy Spirit is getting out of me what is really going on in me and I didn't have a chance to verbalize it before. Writing is a great outlet for me.  But sometimes, it's speaking those unexpected words that sheds light on my circumstances. For example, I was talking to a pastor about a certain situation I am in that is very hard to endure, and the word "crushed" popped out of my mouth.  I don't remember exactly what I said, but remember saying how I felt like I was being