All Things

Year 6-Day 280: Today, I am grateful for "all things". 

This week, there have been some heavy prayers being said. Prayers seeking guidance, wisdom, protection and healing. God is with us in all things! The good, the tough, the rough and the celebrations, too. 

I went to bed on Friday with a huge praise on the brain. I woke up to this scripture:

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. -Philippians 4:13

There is a special teen in my world who has been valiantly doing hard things from the time she was two. She has battled cancer. There are long term health related inconveniences that come with survivorship. She faced another round of tests this week.  Her attitude is always positive and she is one of the kindest and most compassionate hearts I know. I am honored to get to know her, love her and share her world. God continues to bless her days. She and her family... and all who know her give Him the glory. 

The world is full of people who fall apart at the smallest obstacle in their path. They want to control everything in their world down to the smallest details. For families who have faced cancer and other hard things, they quickly learn that we don't really control anything and in a moment... everything can change. 

If we live long enough, most of us will have a chapter or two in our stories that are heartbreaking... even devastating. Still, this passage from Philippians 4:13 stands true. 

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. -Philippians 4:13

Today, replace the word "everything" or "all things" with something specific. "All things" includes everything but I like to replace it with the hard thing happening right now. 

For I can endure grief through Christ, who gives me strength. 
For I can do new things through Christ, who gives me strength. 
For I can forgive through Christ, who gives me strength. 
For I can do job loss through Christ, who gives me strength. 
For I can do a big move things through Christ, who gives me strength. 
For I can do cancer through Christ, who gives me strength. 
For I can do diabetes through Christ, who gives me strength. 
For I can do Huntington's Disease through Christ, who gives me strength. 
For I can let go through Christ, who gives me strength. 
For I can love again through Christ, who gives me strength. 
For I can serve others through Christ, who gives me strength. 
For I can share more through Christ, who gives me strength. 

Get the idea? This verse has so much more power when we insert the "hard thing" we are faced with into the scripture. Name it and claim the victory. 

We just watched "I Can Only Imagine" and I was struck by the way the "broken pieces" of his life impacted his story, his message and the redemption that came with forgiveness. I personally think that if the movie was not labeled "Christian", Dennis Quaid would have been up for an award. He acts the part brilliantly. The young actor playing Bart Millard was wonderful, too. 

We need to remember that we can survive hard things. Some healings take time, but we are never alone. There is always hope when we know The One who gives us hope. 

Today, I am grateful for "all things".