Fostering Faith…in Joy and Sorrow

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Often times joy and sorrow are closely related. Our greatest times of each are often followed or preceded by the other. The joy of becoming pregnant can turn to the sorrow of pregnancy and childbirth, only to again see joy in the arrival of the newborn child. The joy of a child’s first steps is often followed by the sorrow of trying to catch and protect the newly mobile. The opposite is also true. The sorrow of trying to teach a child life skills brings joy when that child grows in maturity. The sorrow of pouring our hearts out to God over a lost soul brings a joyous celebration when grace and repentance are finally realized. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Springtime brings this balance of joy and sorrow for many families. We joy in those who have completed their course of study. We stand and clap for graduates, but sorrow awaits when we realize this begins a new chapter in a young life. They will never again be the little children they once were. They are becoming who God made them to be. Don’t let the sorrow that comes in the night be absent of the joy God provides in the morning. Remember, “The earth is the Lord’s...and they that dwell therein.” Parents, they were never ours the Lord just let us borrow them for a time. Through any sorrow, life brings it should bring us great joy that our children belong to God.

Come celebrate Desi Brunty’s graduation with us. We will honor her at the Children’s Home Monday, May 13th, 2019 from 5pm-7 pm. So many of you have invested so much into this young lady. Come congratulate her, wish her well, and pray with her as she begins to embark on the journey of adulthood.
Please continue to pray for our potential cases. They are another source of joy and sorrow. I have been talking with multiple families and I joy in the encouragement I can give them in the Lord, but I greatly sorrow when I can’t do more, when what needs to be done seems impossible, or when it feels like all I’ve shared is advice. My consolation is Christ and trusting that He is keeping His promises to redeem His people. Please contact us if you would like for us to come to your church in June, July, or beyond. Contact the office (601-426-3928), our Facebook page, or my cell phone (662- 605-0996).