Precious

"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than gold when it perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise in glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:6-7

Hey friends, a very happy Saturday to ya!It's been low key around here..a normal Saturday routine for me usually means getting up early, reading and writing for several hours and then attempting form of exercise. Usually that equates to walking with my friend, Catherine. But today, we pledged to start again (as with the whole world in January) in the world of YOGA. I guess I have left that part out of my routine lately, in all this simplicity..ha! As we were stretching, relaxing (somewhat), music playing, breathing, my body began to remind me of this small fact, it's just not easy doing yoga when your wound tight aka out of practice!!!The middle part was the most difficult so I decided to refocus. I began thanking the Lord that I had made it to "the middle", though surely He knows I was struggling.I began to remember those I know who are in that spot right now, not in the beginning of a crisis, not at the end but right there in the middle, right where all you can do is...KEEP GOING. A crossroad. Then I looked at the clock. "WHAT? Thirty more minutes, keep going, you will be so glad later," I think to myself. In the mirror ahead I can see my stance, shaky albeit, but standing..smile. Next thing I know, we are moving to balance (oh my, if I say that word, one more time, already in this new year) but we were literally working on balancing our bodies. Sounds easy, very hard to do. But, I managed and stayed until the end pose, Namaste. Now before you think I have lost my mind and gone way too new age let me tie my scripture into my yoga "practice" so to speak today!

Yesterday morning I read 1 Peter 1:3-9 and really kept thinking about the word precious. When I think of something precious, it's of great value to me or someone of great value. In this, the first Letter of Peter, (you know I love letters)he begins with telling about the "living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead"(vs 3). As if that is not precious enough...he says that the "tested genuiness of your faith-more precious than gold " stop right there...to me a major test of our faith is right smack dab in the middle of a trial, do you agree? When you really feel like it's way too hard to keep going, yet it's too late to give up? Oh how I remember that, all too well with chemotherapy. It was too much. It was more than I bargained for, it was poison at it's worst, but in the test, in blind faith, not knowing the ending of the story, I stayed until the end. And as a survivor I do deal, at times with survivors guilt. I feel so much hurt for those who have been through such an agonizing life event. "Oh Suzanne, you can't do that" Well, I can do this, I can continue to speak up for those who have been healed in heaven and I can continue to give hope to those who are faced with this Middle ground over and over, that's what God can do actually through me, not me at all. We can all do that actually. What in your life has tested you beyond what you thought you would ever make it through? AND YOU DID. I challenge you this new year, to allow the Lord to heal your heart,and allow you to begin to see how you may help someone else. It is about His glory anyway. Though it may feel shaky, as I did today in yoga, keep standing. Though the road looks long, wide, steep, bumpy, winding, curvy...refocus and stay until the end. As I have said before, He's the One who calls the shots, when He says it's over it's over, when He says press on, I press on. Precious. Enjoy this beautiful Saturday. I have got to get outside in the sunshine!!! Now that I am so limber and all....

"Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind." 1 Peter 3:8

Blessings,
Suzanne