The Miracle that Wasn't

Friday, January 13, 2017


Maybe it was the mother and father cradling the lifeless baby in their arms, hot tears streaming, as the words of the doctor echoed in their hearts "I'm sorry, there was nothing more we could do".
But why, they wondered. We prayed. We believed.  We had faith! Why?

Or maybe it was that night when the phone ringing clattered the silence of sleep, and cold dread filled the heart of the one who answered as the voice on the other end, said "I'm so sorry...", the news crippling the heart with pain and sorrow in a moment.

Or maybe it was a cold sterile examining room where the doctor's diagnosis with the "c" word filled the room with deafening heartache, and the words, "I'm sorry..." don't feel very sorry at all.

Or maybe it was the day the door slammed shut, and the one you loved left you for the arms of someone else, with your dreams and hopes for a perfect life dying a horrible death with the slamming of that door.

Or maybe it was the dream job you had that got eliminated in the company's restructuring... or maybe it was the home you loved and had precious memories in, that burned to the ground in a terrible moment of destruction.... or maybe it is the job that you feel stuck in, with no hope of change... or a child who has caused untold heartache and sorrow in the hearts of the parents...

or maybes.... this list could go on and on... this cold aching list of moments in life that will never be forgotten, burned deep into the memory of hearts that were forever changed by the moment of the 'miracle that wasn't'.

You may wonder where this post could be going, 
but I hope you'll continue reading, 


because I have a deep message of hope to share.



You see, the Lord began dealing with my heart a couple of months ago, and it happened in a simple enough fashion... I began reading in the book of Genesis towards the end of December, and as I've slowly read each story heralded there, each story seemed to have me asking the question "why"?

Why did Leah have to endure such heartache, through no fault of her own, given to a man whose heart was with her sister, and the heartache that came because of her father's choice to deceive Jacob in the marriage.  Why?



Hagar, faithful to her mistress Sarah, found only heartache and sorrow after being given as a concubine to Abraham, and upon bearing him a son, was despised by the women she had served faithfully for years, through no fault of her own.  Why?

And then all of my "why" questions led me back to Eve, the mother of us all.  Why did she make the choice she did?  Couldn't the Lord have stepped in and helped her to see the trick of the enemy?  Why did He not?

As I pondered these deep questions, the answer to "why" became quite clear.

The Lord could have stepped in time and time again to answer the cries of those who called out.  He could have performed miracle after miracle, but He didn't.

He chose not to.  


Why? Because His plan extended much farther than just that moment in time.  His plan would take years to come about, but events had to fall into place, because of HIS PLAN.

I think this may be one of the hardest posts I've ever written.  It is because with our human frailty, it is hard to understand this:



 Pain and suffering come to us for a good purpose, and not bad.  



In that dark moment of pain, heartache and loss,
we cannot even begin to comprehend
how God could take our horrible situation,
and turn it into something greater.  

But this is the simple answer that God wants me to know.. 
and He wants you to know it too.


When we pray for that miracle, and God is silent, it hurts.  Really hurts.

If your prayers feel like they are hitting the roof, and that God seems uncaring, and unwilling to intervene in your situation... let me reassure you... He is not.  He may just have a PLAN that you can't see or understand right now.  And it may be, that miracle you are crying out for... may be one that will never be.



Despair may seem like your closest companion, the silence and the darkness may seem to be a deafening witness to the hopelessness of your situation.



But hold on, dear friend.  May I offer you great hope?




It is in these dark hours of despair, that the presence of the Lord comes to us, enveloping us in His embrace, and there is a painful bittersweet joy in these times, like no other.  The joy of His presence cannot be known like this except in these times of suffering.  It's true.

We pray for the anointing, for the presence of the Lord, for peace, for joy, for happiness, for hope, for faith... for all these things.  And we want these things in the only way our human hearts know - without any negatives, without any sorrow attached to it.

But my friend, it is not to be so.

Take any bible story that is familiar to you.  We see the victory, the glory, the joy in the end, but did you read the story from beginning to end?  Did you see that the beginning of every.single.story contains the bittersweet companions of both joy and sorrow?

Think of Daniel and the lion's den. We love to hear how the Lord saved him from the mouth of the lions.  But remember what happened before the miracle? I'm sure Daniel felt sure he would die that night as he was thrown into the den with the lions.  Surely God should have answered Daniel's prayers and saved him from that imminent fate!  Why did He not? Because... He had a greater purpose in mind. A far greater miracle took place with Daniel being saved from the lions, than if God had simply averted the whole situation and stopped it from happening.

Do you see the pattern here?  Please, stop a moment, and think of any glorious bible story you know of, while thinking of the great and miraculous, do you remember the haunting, horrible, terrible moments of pain beforehand... before there were the miracles that weren't, but because God had a greater plan, a greater miracle takes place later, and never on our time schedule!



I am writing this simply because it is what the Lord has been speaking to my heart as I've read through the book of Genesis this past couple of months.  And I can attest, that in my life too,  there have been times when I prayed for the Lord to intervene, and He hasn't.  In some circumstances, He still hasn't.  I'm still praying.  I don't understand or claim to know His plan.



But this one thing I know... just because God says no, or your "answer" doesn't come when you think it should, this doesn't mean He doesn't care.  It could just be the "miracle that wasn't", because He has a far greater one in store for you.  My simple human eyes can't see it or comprehend it, but His do.  His eyes are eternal.  He sees the end from the beginning at once, and His scope of time knows no limitations, while mine does.  And too, our earthly body may never see the miracle He has planned.



Leah, in the midst of her heartache, may never have known that through her son Judah would come the lineage of Christ.  She lived a life of heartache and sorrow, and perhaps in her earthly body, she never got to see just what the Lord had planned through her heartache and sorrow.


I've really said nothing new, or that you probably haven't heard before.  But maybe you just needed to hear it again.  I know I did.  I don't know what the Lord has planned for my life ~ I can't see it spread out before me as He does.  But one thing I do know... is that HE KNOWS.  And if there is a 'miracle that wasn't' in my life, I'm confident that His plan is the best for me.  And I content myself in that.

I have the whole of the Bible before me to say "I told you so", and I look forward, past today, to the place that the Lord has for me, for you, for all of us.  And I will praise Him now for the Miracle that Will Be.... whatever it is.

Praise for the Lord will fill my heart and soul because of WHO He is, and because I know He has our best interests in mind, and that contents me.



Is there a situation in your life that you have prayed and prayed for, only to come up empty, sorrowful, and without any hope?  I encourage you today to place that need in the "Miracle that Wasn't" box, and instead begin to look to the Lord with hope that whatever the "Miracle that Will Be" is, that you will be content, and will praise Him.  It is the answer to my question of "why" that is found answered all throughout scripture.  And if it worked in times past for the saints of old, it will work for you and me too.

And even as it seems Leah never found the happiness she deserved, when Judah came along, she made a decision to praise, and THAT child was the lineage through which Jesus came.  You see, when she stopped trying to get what she thought she deserved, and began to praise... THAT is when her answer came, the answer she had been seeking.  And that is the secret to all of this seeking and searching.

Some things we may never, ever understand in our humanity. But when we praise HIM in spite of it, that is when the answer will come.  The Word is true.  The answer is in our attitude and our praise. The Miracle that Will Be comes when we praise, and let Him work as He will.

It's a hard lesson to learn, yes it is.  But I've tried it, and I've found it to be true.  When your heartache is filling a deep fathom of hurt and darkness, try to do what Leah did, and see if your well will not spill over with the blessing of the Lord, in places where you least expect it, it will come.

Because He is the God that has chosen pain and suffering as the avenue to bless us with, and when we understand that, there will come a joy, peace, and contentment to your heart such as you have never known before.



Praise Him now, for the Miracle that Wasn't, and for the Miracle that Will Be!

81 comments

  1. Lovely and timely post my friend. You write so eloquently and your pictures are beautiful. The combination touches my heart. The ugly and hurtful situation with my husband's side of the family reared it's devastating head once again and I was left to comfort an elderly and ill man who had been lead to believe that we did not want to spend time with him. He now knows the truth of the situation, that we were told not to come or call, and that we do love and miss him dearly. He now also knows that he was deceived by some of those he loved and trusted most. I have prayed and prayed for that situation to be resolved, but hardened hearts have prevented that from happening. God can still use this situation to teach us something...even if the lesson is a very hard one.

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    1. Thank you dear friend, I'm thankful it was a blessing to you. I've been praying about your situation with your inlaws, the Lord is able to change it, in His time! Hugs to you today, praying the presence of the Lord is with you in a sweet way today :)

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  2. reading this mesmerizing post made me speechless dear friend .
    loved each bit of it and agree with every word of your's from the bottom of my heart.
    i pray since my youth and now when i am 45 mother of three and wife to kind loving soul mate my prays are more deep and with more striving ,for the well being of my loved ones and for the sake of the peace and serenity of all people with positive or negative way of thinking ,i pray for each because they are men of my creator and they relate to me through this relation.
    though i pray but not with insistence .i pray because it keeps me close to my Lord .yet i believe he is the only one who knows me and loves me more than myself so i trust him that what ever he will chose for me will be proven good for me sooner or later and i am saying this by my personal experience .
    stay blessed!
    Hugs!

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    1. Hello Baili, so wonderful to hear from you! Your comments always bless my heart! What an amazing privilege we have to pray and intercede for our families, friends and communities! The Lord's mercies are so kind and gracious to us, and I pray that the presence of the Lord will be with you and your family in a mighty and powerful way! Hugs to you today!

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  3. Both your shots and your nice words always have something so special, your posts fascinate me so much, darling Marilyn, yours is truly an art, Sweetie !

    Wishing you the best of weekends,
    stay warm and comfy at home !

    Xx Dany

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    1. Thank you Dany, likewise your visits are always such a blessing to my heart, thank you for your kind words when you visit, I treasure them! Blessings and hugs to you today!

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  4. Marilyn, thank you for sharing what is on your heart along with your beautiful photos. I agree with all you said and know that we don't always have our prayers answered as we'd like. It is a hard lesson in life but we need to have faith that God has chosen the way for us and we may never know in our lifetime the purpose for it. May God bless you for sharing and encouraging others. Have a blessed weekend.
    Hugs. Pam

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    1. Yes, this is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. Appreciate your wonderful comment, such a blessing to me your visits are, may the Lord's presence be with you! Hugs to you today :)

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  5. Lovely post and beautiful photographs, thank you so much for sharing what was on your heart.

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    1. Thank you for your visit, always a pleasure to have you visit :) Hugs to you today!

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  6. I have one prayer, gratitude! It is enough.

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    1. A thankful heart is a blessed heart indeed! Appreciate your visit Marie, may the sweet presence of the Lord be with you :)

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  7. Beautiful, Marilyn. You describe faith so well. Bill and I were talking about prayer this morning before we prayed. The communion, the hope, the connecting.
    You are a lovely writer, too!

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    1. What a privilege it is to be able to talk to the Creator of the universe and know He listens! I never cease to be amazed at His provision. Appreciate your visit today and pray the presence of the Lord is with you in a special way today :)

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  8. {{speechless}}--beautiful Marilyn...God always provides my friend...always.

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    1. Yes, indeed He does Linda, and most often in the absolutely most unexpected ways. I never cease to be amazed at His creativity in all things, His creation, His love and His provision. We are blessed! Hugs to you today :)

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  9. Beautiful! I often think of the song by Garth Brooks that says "sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers." I sometimes ponder what if God had answered my pleas to get pregnant. Life would have been so different. I would not have had the heartache I experienced, but then I wouldn't have experienced the miracle of motherhood through adoption. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't praise Him for my sweet Megan. :)

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    1. And that is the heart of what the Lord was showing me. There are some wonderful things that we just CAN'T experience, unless we go through the heartache first. It doesn't make sense then, but in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. God is so good to us! Appreciate your visit Wendi and praying that the presence of the Lord will be with you today in a special way :)

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  10. Such a heartfelt and beautifully written post. In my own life I know that later I saw the amazing plan that God had for me,following some nasty trials.

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    1. Thank goodness we can look behind, and see how the Lord provided. What a testimony of faith that is, and hope for the situations that we face even now. He is faithful to us! Praying the Lord blesses you with His presence in a special way today :)

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  11. Hope ... yes, that's what we yearn for, that's what we share.

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    1. Hope is everything, hope not in this world, but our eternal hope! Appreciate your visit Linda, may the presence of the Lord be with you in a special way today!

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  12. This was a great post, and one I needed to read! I was actually just pondering this same thought, throughout the last few days, as I face my own battle. It was really nice reading this. Thank you for sharing it. :)

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    1. Life consists of one battle or another, doesn't it! Everyone has a burden that they are carrying. And the Lord's ways and plans are never our ways, I've certainly seen that. He is able to keep us through each one, and draw us closer to Him. And that is what is most important of all in this life, as our soul is the only eternal thing we own. Hugs to you today dear friend, praying the Lord's sweet presence be with you today :)

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  13. I completely agree with you! Thank you for so beautifully sharing this truth!

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    1. Wonderful Deanna, thank you so much for your visit, what a blessing it is to have you visit me! Hugs to you today :)

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  14. Beautiful post...as I read I was amazed by how much this falls in line with Believing God by Beth Moore. There have been several blogs that have brought me back to this book...hmmmm....is God talking to me? Hope you're having a great weekend, thank you for this great post.

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    1. Thank you for your visit, Mary, you are always such a blessing! How wonderful it is when the Lord speaks to us in multiple ways about the same thing. He knows how to get our attention! Hugs to you today dear friend :)

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  15. Marilyn, The Lord is using you to minister to my heart. I cannot go into all of it here but suffice it to say that I desperately needed to hear this today. Thank you! Praying for you, my friend.

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    1. I understand Anne. Sometimes the deepest hardest things in our heart we can speak to not one soul about. But HE knows, and He has the best plan in mind for you. I'll be praying for you dear friend, that you will experience the deep joy of the presence of the Lord in the midst of what you are going through. That, to me, is worth going through the trials for, because it is His presence that comforts like no other. Hugs to you today dear friend!

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  16. I don't even know what to say, Marilyn. You have been given a word to share with others and you have shared it here. I believe it all--that we will never know, this side of The Great Divide, why things happen as they do. There is sadness and there is heartache that we just can't comprehend the WHY of it all....it is just 'because'....and someday that 'because' will become apparent to us. A wonderful post. I'm sure it was heart-rending and exhausting to even write it out. xo Diana

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    1. I know that you have walked that dark valley Diana, and I have been inspired by the courage you have shown through it all. I know it is a rough road you have been on, and are still on. But I do pray for you that the presence of the Lord will continue to be with you in a special way in the midst of it all. Hugs to you today dear friend!

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  17. Dear friend! Bless you for sharing what the dear Lord laid upon your heart! There are SO many questions in this life, and I think we have been shamed so much for asking "why" that we even feel guilty for our own questions. Jesus Himself asked "WHY?" from the cross, and I have found, through my own painful experiences, that God does not scold us for asking why. He knows our finite minds cannot take in His plan, and He understands that. When I was reading your post, it made me think of how Jesus purposely stayed away until Lazarus had been dead four days before He went to him. Had he gone immediately, there would have been a miraculous healing of sickness, but since He waited, the miracle of being raised from the dead was far greater. This is such a comfort when we are begging for a certain thing, and God repeatedly says "no". Through losses and heartache, I have so often wondered, and I still do wonder about many things. Sometimes, He shows us the "why" later, and sometimes He does not. He reserves the right, and He is GOD. I have thought of you so much today, dear friend, and as I cooked meals and did household chores, I have prayed for you and your dear family during this time of grief. I got your sweet, precious card today...thank you SO much. I love and appreciate you dearly. God bless you all and hold you ever close.

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    1. Oh dear Cheryl,how your comment touched my heart. Yes, indeed this is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best.

      I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. I thought of Lazarus as I wrote my post, and so many others too. In fact just about every bible story that has been told shares those similarities. And so we must remind ourselves in every situation we face that it is the situation that God could be using to bring about something greater, even when we don't see it yet, and the pain is fresh, raw and hurts.

      I'm learning to praise Him when I least feel like it. And I have found that His presence comes in a mighty way when I do that, and makes my heart lighter.

      In fact, I've now been praying for the Lord to not remove the difficulties if He so chooses, but rather to change my heart, and purify me instead, that I may come forth as pure gold, tried in the fire, 1 Pet. 1:7.

      Appreciate your friendship and prayers so much, my friend! May the presence of the Lord be rich in your life today :)

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  18. I am new following you and enjoying reading your blog and seeing your gorgeous photos. I have never been to Idaho although my oldest friend Karen has lived in Boise for 20 plus years. I have been blogging since 2009 but I was in a rut for a while. I have found another blog friend who said social media was cutting and cruel was so right and I find that blogging zi can visit those who share common interests. I don't have to be subjected to the hatefulness that surrounds the social media sites. Lots of beautiful thoughts here. Thank you and I will come over again soon. Have a wonderful weekend.

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    1. Hello there! Yes, I think we have met sometime before, but I'm so happy that you stopped by again for a visit! I agree with your thoughts about social media, there is so much sad, horrible stuff that goes on there, and indeed, with blogging you can choose what you want to read, and the beautiful friendships I've cultivated through blogging have truly enriched my life. Appreciate your visit so much, and thankful that this post ministered to your heart. It is the Lord's doings :) Blessings and hugs to you today!

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  19. Thank you for sharing that message. This side of heaven there will be sorrow and pain as that is part of a sin filled world. That makes heaven all the more exciting! Thanks for sharing the things you have learned out of the book of Genesis.

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    1. You are so right Abbi, what a hope we have that is not in this life, but in life eternal. And the only thing eternal we have now is our soul, so we must see well to it. Appreciate your visit and great love for the Lord and your family! Hugs to you dear friend, praying the presence of the Lord is with you in a special way today :)

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  20. Oh Marilyn, this has to be one of my favorite posts from you. How I needed it too! I am in the middle of physical therapy that just doesn't seem to be helping. I have been down in the dumps more than I'd like because of it. Why? Why aren't I getting better?
    Your witness of the book of Genesis really hits it on the head for me. Maybe this will be the healing that isn't to be, because there's something else in store. Something better. I like thinking about that a lot better than getting in a funk about it all.
    Bless you for writing this. I know it's been a journey for you, but your timing isn't just luck for me. I think God put it here for me to take heart. And I will.
    Blessings,
    Ceil

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    1. Oh dear Ceil, my heart does hurt for you. Physical pain is one of the worst things to go through. Indeed, this is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, well - there is more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything, especially the things that hurt. Appreciate your wonderful comment, such a blessing to me your visits are, may the Lord's presence be with you! Hugs to you today :)

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  21. Hi Marilyn,
    Thanks for stopping by my online home and I'm happy to visit yours! The photos of the snow are exquisite! And your words bring such truth to all those why questions that haunt us and some that never get answered. Yes, there is purpose and in that promise of God's, we find hope! Glad to meet you!

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    1. Thank you for your visit and your kind words! I'm thankful that the words of this post ministered to your heart! Praying that the blessings of the Lord are with you in a special way today :)

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  22. Thank you Marilyn for this message.The book of Genesis is indeed an incredible book. I really like your words here : "
    But this one thing I know... just because God says no, or your "answer" doesn't come when you think it should, this doesn't mean He doesn't care. " Indeed!!

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    1. Thank you Angela for your visit, oh yes, this is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. Appreciate your wonderful comment, such a blessing to me your visits are, may the Lord's presence be with you! Hugs to you today :)

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  23. Wonderful post, Marilyn. Thank you for sharing from your heart. I'm reminded of Hebrews 11, the Bible's "Hall of Faith." There's so much in God's word to teach and encourage us. Hugs, Nancy

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    1. Oh that hall of faith's famous, indeed what a reminder of how the best God has for us often comes in such a difficult way. Appreciate your visit and comment Nancy, you are such a blessing to me. Hugs to you today!

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  24. Love the photos you chose to accompany your words Marilyn. Too often we forget how messy the middle can be. Thanks for sharing. While it's a truth I know but one I needed to be reminded. Blessings to you.

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    1. Yes, it is the "middle" or "gray" time of our life that is hardest to walk through. Indeed, this is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything.

      Appreciate your visit so much, and praying that the presence of the Lord will be with you in a special way today :)

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  25. Marilyn, Thank you for visiting my blog.. I appreciate it..
    I would like to say, these are the most beautiful photos [Idaho is beautiful].. thank you for sharing.. But mostly, I want to say, thank you for this blog post, I needed this today, more than you will ever know.. I had a rough day yesterday, and I needed to hear that God is there and we do have to read the end of the book.. His answer is not always what we want to hear.. But our well being is in His wonderful hands.. And there is other place, I had rather be..When we are down and I wonder 'why" He didn't fix it or make me feel better..... I know... He is not finished with me.. I have to put ALL my trust in Him..
    Pray you have a blessed week. Judy

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    1. OOPS..ERROR.. I meant to say..." there is no other place" NOT 'there is other place"

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    2. Hello Judy, I appreciate your visit so much today! I cherish the friendships that come through blogging :) Indeed, this is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. Appreciate your wonderful comment, such a blessing to me your visit today is, and I hope to get to know you better :) May the Lord's presence be with you! Hugs to you today!

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  26. Such a wonderful and comforting post.. Just hearing again that it is all under His control.. Knowing that he loves us and no matter how it looks He does all things well in his own timing.. And the photos are gorgeous !! xoxoxo

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    1. Thank you Faye! I always treasure visits from you as I know you are a very busy lady! Appreciate your kind comments, and pray that the presence of the Lord is with you in a special way today :)

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  27. A hard post to write. A hard post to read. It's not the way we want it, but it's true.
    Thanks for sharing truth with us.
    Blessings,
    Laura

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    1. Yes, indeed my dear sweet Laura, this is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, well, there is a lot more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. Appreciate your wonderful comment, such a blessing to me your visits are, may the Lord's presence be with you! Hugs to you today :)

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  28. I am new to your blog and really enjoyed seeing your beautiful photos and reading this very heartfelt and spirit full post. I've experienced great heart break in my life but I have also been so very blessed. I know God has been there for me through all these times--faith is a gift!

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    1. Hello Pat, thank you for your visit, so happy you stopped by! I've heard it said, "The deeper the pain, the greater the gain." Indeed, this is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. Appreciate your wonderful comment, such a blessing to me your visit is! May the Lord's presence be with you! Hugs to you today :)

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  29. So glad you came for a visit today...hoping you will come often.
    God answers all prayers...but in HIS time...not ours.
    All your snow photos are wonderful and they made me c.o.l.d. :)

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    1. I too hope we can get to know each other better BJ! I'm glad you enjoyed the cold pictures, lol!

      Indeed, this is hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, there is more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. Appreciate your wonderful comment, praying the Lord's presence be with you in a special way today. Hugs to you today :)

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  30. I can think of so many times I hoped for the miracle and it turned out different. I didn't understand but years later....I could really praise Him with understanding. I liked everything about this: your words, your reference to Scripture and those breathtaking photos! Thank you for all the inspiration you give.

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    1. Thank you for your sweet words and visit today! I'm thankful this post ministered to your heart, it is still ministering to mine :) It seems the Lord shares these things with me, in advance, to prepare my heart for whatever the future holds. Yes, this is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. Appreciate your wonderful comment, such a blessing to me your visits are, may the Lord's presence be with you! Hugs to you today :)

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  31. Wonderful post, SpicingUpIdaho. Just wonderful.

    When things go wrong, we should Praise God, not because they have gone wrong, but because He is still in control. When we praise Him, He turns a bad situation for the good; ours or that of others.

    God bless.

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    1. Great words of wisdom you shared Bro. Victor. Thank you for your visit today! Indeed, this is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, there is more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. Appreciate your wonderful comment, such a blessing to me your visits are, may the Lord's presence be with you! Hugs to you today :)

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  32. Lovely, lovely words that you wrote!
    Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. -Romans 12:12

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    1. I love that verse, thank you for sharing it! Joyful in all things, not just the "happy" ones... that is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. Appreciate your wonderful comment, such a blessing to me your visits are, may the Lord's presence be with you! Hugs to you today :)

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  33. In my chronological reading plan of the Bible this year I am in Genesis right now and yes, there seems to be a lot of things happening to question that are not fair. Our small Bible study group often talks about our wants and hopes...but they will happen according to His plan.
    There is much in this post to set a person to thinking.

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    1. Appreciate your visit so much Judith. Genesis is a great book to start the new year with, lots to think about indeed! This is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, oh there is so much more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. Appreciate your wonderful comment, such a blessing to me your visits are, may the Lord's presence be with you! Hugs to you today :)

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  34. Awe, precious lady, the pictures are beautiful but your written words touched the depths of my heart. Love the message of Hope. I've always said that God answers with a yes, a no or a wait. So many times my prayers has not been answered as I asked. Other times they have truly been answered and in ways I couldn't imagine. But there has been times my friend that I am so thankful He said NO! But yet regardless, we must praise the Lord because He is worthy to be praised. Enjoyed this so much. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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    1. Oh dear Cindy, indeed this is just so true what you have written. He is worthy to be praised, whether or not our situations seem to meet our expectations. Indeed, this is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. Appreciate your wonderful comment, such a blessing to me your visits are, may the Lord's presence be with you! Hugs to you today :)

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  35. Marilyn what a beautiful written post. I was deeply touched. God does know what is best for us and we must simply trust in Him.

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    1. Oh Gina, how happy I am to hear that the Lord ministered to your heart through this post. Oh, this is a hard lesson for our hearts to learn. It seems with our minds we grasp the concept, but our hearts, well, there is much more of a struggle there! And so the Lord needs to gently remind us how great His love for us by giving us what is best for us, and not what we think is best. I'm learning to trust and praise Him for everything. Appreciate your wonderful comment, such a blessing to me your visits are, may the Lord's presence be with you! Hugs to you today :)

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  36. No, this is nothing that I have not heard before, but you wrote so compellingly that I was with you to the end. We do not understand many things, but we must understand that God has our best interests in mind.

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    1. Thank you Vee, indeed there is so much we don't understand, but trusting Him for those things and praising Him through them is the way to get through them. Hugs to you today!

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  37. What a blessing to read here this evening. I love the flow of your words, but more than that I love the gentle spirit with which they are written. We had several things take place in our lives last year that man, with his natural eye, would look at as if they were bad. We chose to look at them through God's promises to us in His Word. And, yes, it always turns out for our good...always. His grace is sufficient...always...because He promises it in His Word. Thank you again for your beautiful post.

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    1. P.S. I just went back to your profile page and tried sending an e-mail, but couldn't get it to come up. I wanted to thank you for visiting my blog and leaving such warm, heartfelt words for me in the comment section. You've been a blessing!

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  38. Such a beautifully written post for us all to think and reflect on.
    Good words and may I also say good photo's.

    All the best Jan

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  39. This was truly beautiful in every way...the photos are magnificent...but the message is also must as magnificent. Yes, we have all experienced the "miracle that wasn't" in our lives...sometimes more often than we like to remember...but yet, your words give us hope to realize that the story isn't over yet. God may still have some beautiful surprises in store for us...perhaps things that we won't understand until we reach heaven...but then we have all of eternity to give Him praise for His miraculous love and grace. Yes...I know what this feels like...but I also know Whom I have believed...and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him.... Thank you for this powerful post today. It blessed me... Blessings to you today as well.

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  40. I am reading the book of Genesis too and there is much to contemplate in there....and give us hope.

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  41. I really needed to read your post at this moment, Marilyn. Yes, I'm praying and praying for a situation in my life right now, but I am learning to be thankful and joyful about my other blessings. Here's a quote of Saint Padre Pio that I wrote on my fridge: "Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer."
    Thank you for sharing your wonderful wisdom with us! xo

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  42. Oh, what a gloriously inspiring post, both in photos and words! Your beautiful words, Marilyn, speak of a most wonderful God and Heavenly Father whose purposes are being worked in each of our lives. We all have had many moments in our lives of "the miracle that wasn't" but I can only speak of my walk with God, that in those dark and impossible times, it is then I learn so much about myself, my faith, my vulnerability and about my loving Heavenly Father, who always holds me in the palm of His hand. Sometimes I feel we treat God like a fairy godfather, wanting Him to grant our every desire. He just wants us to trust (very hard at times) and wait for His purposes to be worked out in our lives. Thank you for this lovely post, Marilyn, you have blessed my heart. Xx

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Your comments are blessings to me, and I appreciate each and every one, they are precious to me! I appreciate you taking the time to comment on my blog... this is what makes blogging worthwhile! Have a blessed day!

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