Day Nine: Difficulties

Oops.

I did think about blogging, but I had a sermon to finish preparing on Friday evening, and Sabbath evening was busy too. And then Sunday was busy. And Monday was too. So even though today is busy too, I don't really have any excuses to not write again. :-) So, I shall start back up where I left off, and try to catch up as I go.

Today's (er, Friday's) theme: Difficulties God has brought me through.

As I looked back over this year, I realized that I haven't had terribly many difficulties this year. Well, I have, but smaller kinds. So I'll share a few of those seemingly insignificant ones, and how God has, once again, shown His miraculous power in each scenario.

Spiritual down times. These come somewhat often, but each time I can know that God is near me, and that each time teaches me more about Him in a different way. Oh for the day when I have a constant connection, and my selfish heart doesn't get in the way!

Stressful press weeks. Each year we have four of these! I actually enjoy some of the stress that happens during these weeks. But usually at some point, whether at the very beginning when I realize just how much I have to do, or sometime in the middle when I have a late night or two at the office, a different kind of stress envelops me. And at those times, if I choose to let Jesus take control, He will give me perfect peace in my heart, and the strength I need to keep going and get it all done.

Drama. Oh yes. We've had our share of it around here. I can't really go into detail about the drama, but I'm so glad that my God is such a calm one. :-) He's always there with simple solutions, and never-ending grace to make it through emotional trials.

Friends leaving. I've discovered recently, to my chagrin, that I am an extremely nostalgic person. It can't be all bad, but sometime in the middle of this year, I decided that I definitely needed to learn how to get past the "good old times" and live joyously in the present. Two of my close friends have left YD this year (actually, one of those just left yesterday morning), and God has been teaching me through this difficulty that He is always there, and that life ahead will be full of just-as-good times and blessings.