Lauren Daigle - You Say (Official Music Video)

Romans 15:4-6 New International Version (NIV)
4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

How is it that Mother Theresa can spend her lifetime ministering to the sick and dying in the slums of Calcutta,? Where do some people find the strength to do extraordinary things under great suffering? How is it that people who suffer painful deaths of loved ones are able to bounce back from their adversity to go on and do mighty things?

As many who read these blogs are aware, my wife has been battling cancer that for her is very treatable- we see the finish line off in the horizon; something that others facing this disease do not see. When I married her in 1988, I didn't realize that I was getting a woman who loved Jesus with every fiber of her body who found ways to love people. Our God has been faithful in our lives through the ups and downs of life. Just as Laura Daigle sings in her song, we echoed those same words, "I believe" even when others tell us to stop believing because in their mind, 'God is dead'.

I am here to tell you that God is very much alive and living in those who love Him. God isn't there in the political caucuses, or necessarily in the legislative committees, nor is he necessarily there on the political debate floor, but he is there sitting with you as you listen to the story of those who are suffering, or dying. God is there as you listen to those who recently received the diagnosis they didn't want to hear. He is with you when you are sitting with someone battling traumatic grief after the loss of a loved one to suicide, or from a traumatic car crash killing their loved ones instantaneously. He is with you as you attend a funeral service when you much rather be doing something else much more pleasurable.

On our recent trip to Warren, Minnesota, my wife's home town, we stopped in to order a plant. As my wife was browsing the different plants in the store I noticed a flyer on the wall in honor of two brothers. I asked the young lady about these two boys and she said these were the grandchildren of the owner of the flower shop who were killed in the wintertime when the car their mom was driving lost control, went off the road before veering back onto the freeway directly in the path of an oncoming semi-truck. Their names were Camden and Max. She mom survived the crash as she heard a brief whimper from her boys sitting in the back seat before their voices ceased. I asked her how this mom is doing and she said that it still is painful for her. As she said this, I saw gentle tears streaming down her face. I encouraged her as I briefly told her about my grief. I encourage you to go to the CamdentotheMax facebook page and consider donating for a good cause.https://www.facebook.com/CamdentotheMax-363655904144888/

As I drove away to head back to the nursing home where my mother-in-law lived, I was prompted by the inner workings of the holy spirit in me to turn around and share more of my grief story with her. She gave me the Facebook page they set up to honor these boys through their toy donation program. I presented her with the book I had worked on all these years, 'On Eagles wings, A father's grief from anger to forgiveness after the loss of my daughter'- a book written because I still believe.

So how is it some people can go on and do mighty works of God despite the traumatic things in their lives?  I believe it is because of the inner workings of the holy spirit in their lives because 'they still believe.'

I