The Glorious Middle

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My heart dropped as I looked at the visitor card in my hand and read the words "Homeless" in the place of where an address should go.  As I turned it over, trying to get any other piece of information my eyes fell to the box for prayer requests.  It simply said one word.

Everything.

I sat there with tears welling up in my eyes as I prayed over these people I would most likely never meet this side of heaven.  Praise God, I've never been homeless.  But oh, have I ever been hopeless.  I've been in seasons of life where I could just have easily filled out a prayer request spot that simply said...

Everything. 

It's too much to fit in a box.  Listing it all, line by line, may just bury me under the weight of it all.  Too. Much.

For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

-Romans 11:36

Here's the deal.  I've seen the "from" and I've seen the "to".  The creation and the cross.  I can easily look with wonder and awe, praising Him with all that is within me.  

It's the "through" that I so often struggle with.  This messy middle time where things get hard and messy.  People find themselves on rock bottom and sitting in a church pew with the only option to write in the address blank is "homeless".  When we get phone calls we dread and nightmares begin.  When we hear words we think will absolutely flat-line us.  When we've been so hit from every side, so bombarded with just plain life, we can be absolutely convinced...we're done.   

Every time we're asking ourselves, why me?  We're met with a simple answer.  For My glory.  

In the middle times where things are good, we're quick to give Him glory.  But when they get hard, and down right dark, we tend to wonder.  Even this Lord?  May we be met always with a resounding-louder-than-all-the-noise yes, even this.  


Linking up with:  Titus 2 Tuesday, You're Gonna Love it Tuesday, The Homemaking Party, Moonlight & Mason Jars, Wednesday Whatsits, Off the Hook Monday, Wonderful Wednesday, Riverton Housewives, A Wise Woman, What you Wish Wednesday, WholeHearted Wednesday, Thursday Favorite Things, All Things Thursday