Relative calm...

Relative calm is the title of this photo. I love every aspect and every color in this picture and what it represents.

The crescent moon brings an evening of calm, the storm clouds may represent something unknown is about to happen, a bolt of lightening to wake us up and a brilliant sunrise to begin a new day. A star shining through the clouds and a blue sky to remind us of the wonders God has presented to us.

What do you think relative calm means? I think it means you can feel joy, sadness, fear, and love all at the same time. Relative meaning close to being calm, but not quite there.

As I was celebrating a very special moment in my life with a friend, I got a text message with horrific news on my phone. It was one of those moments that takes your breath away. My heart sank with deep sadness while I had just been feeling jubilation for a blessing I had been praying for. Isn't God amazing and isn't our faith tested every moment of every day? We are tested in joy, sadness, grief and fear. We need only to find our balance with God and not over react when a challenge is presented to us.

In my own life I have found my peace through truly trusting, being patient and giving the lead to God. If we are always trying to fix things ourselves, we truly don't trust God.

The wait of course is the most difficult as we as humans feel those needs, or wants need to be answered as soon as we ask. But it is only God who knows what we can handle and how we will know what to do with all the blessings. If you receive a blessing too soon you may not know that it is from God, we may think we did it ourselves and we might forget whom to thank. We need to get our own egos out of the way and let God lead the way.

We have a loving God who is always waiting to give back. Ask and you shall receive. Now if the answer is no or not yet you must trust that it is not for you today. But don't give up the hope that all that your heart desires will be answered in His perfect time. We may or may not see all the changes we pray for, but they WILL come to be.

When I go for my regular medical tests, CT or MRI scans, labs, cardiac stress tests, they will all give me an image of sickness or health. In those moments I pray. I do not pray because I believe God will give me a clear scan, I pray because I am not alone, and from gratitude that having been near death I am still in life. I pray not for magic but for closeness, not for miracles but for love.

Don't limit your prayers to meals or to bedtime. Pray constantly about things great and small. God is listening, and He wants to hear from you. So look up, and lift up your prayers, then sit back and wait for miracles to happen.

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.  Matthew 21:22 NIV