June 7, 2016

After a major failure on my part as a person, a friend of mine shared this page of his Spurgeon devotional.

“There are many who have basked in the sunshine in the early stages of their Christian life; they have walked along the green pastures by the side of the still waters. But suddenly they find that the glorious sky is clouded; instead of the promised land they have to endure the wilderness; in place of sweet waters, they find troubled streams, bitter to their taste, and they say, “surely, if I were a child of God this would not happen.” Do not say that if you are walking in darkness. The best of God’s saints must drink the bitter potion; the dearest of His children must bear the cross. No Christian has enjoyed the perpetual prosperity; no believer can always keep his heart in constant tune. Perhaps the Lord gave you in the beginning a smooth an unclouded path because you were weak and timid. He moderated the wind on account of your weakness, but now that you are stronger in the spiritual life, you must enter upon the riper and rougher experience of God’s full grown children. We need winds and tempests to exercise our faith, to tear off the rotten branches of self-reliance, and to root more firmly in Christ. The day of evil reveals to us the value of our glorious hope.”

My husband reminded me, when we wander off a path, it isn’t usually a smooth asphalted path we return immediately to. It is usually an un walked path full of obstacles and cragginess that can make us stumble and even fall again.Eventually, if we persist, we make our way fully back to the clearing and on to the smooth path. Thank you husband for that loving reminder;-)

The day of evil did reveal it self to me as having even more value in my glorious hope than I had ever imagined! I am strengthened in faith because I could not, and still do not always see the forest through the trees. Tearing off that “do it your self spirit” and performance based acceptance that has become rotteness in me and rooting myself instead to the All Powerful Creator who lives inside of me. Who cares for me and has a future and a hope far greater and far above what I could ever ask or think…who loves me with an ever lasting, ever pursuing love.

No matter where you are, or where you have been…do not give up! It may be a rough road to navigate through. You may not even believe you are on the right road because of the narrowness and difficulty of it. But you are and you will show the luscious fruit of the journey on your newly grown branches if you do not grow weary in your journey.

I am right here, walking it with you!! We want to hear from you today! Check out our Allegheny Woods Lotion and Hand Soap on Amazon.com. Use it as you are frontiering your new territory and forming your new habits<3