Good morning…
My parents have twelve grandkids and two great grandkids. Yesterday, my sister sent this photo of her youngest of six children, the final grandchild, heading to his first day as a high school senior. In the picture, he is reenacting a cute photo from his younger school days.
Just after I smiled at this photo, I got word about the deadly shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On Monday this week, that school began classes, inviting back gifted teachers and excited students, kindergarten through eighth grade. I thought to myself, “The kids probably looked very similar to this younger version of my nephew.” Innocent. Hopeful. Anticipating a great year. Then a troubled person changed the course of life.
“This is a prayer I’ve been praying, taken from my journal from thoughts about joy from Kay Warren’s book,” my sister wrote as she shared her journal page.
Now I expand these handwritten words, praying them over those grieving in Minnesota and lifting them up for all who seek joy amid the immense pains of life. Settled assurance. Quiet confidence. Determined choice. Lord, we trust you. Help us in our distrust.
Joy and sorrow are two parallel train tracks running through each moment of our daily lives. Seeking to choose joy as we process life’s sorrow, this drive is a supernatural gift from God. But this beautiful treasure is contained in us—cracked pots made of earth and clay—so that the transcendent character of this power will be clearly seen as coming from God and not from us (2 Corinthians 4:7, VOICE).
May God grant each of us power to transcendent our painful circumstances, finding joy alongside our aching sorrow.
…Sue…
