Living with joy in the face of… I didn’t just wake up with joy one day. I couldn’t feel it and I didn’t want it. All I wanted was what my heart wanted and that’s all I could see. The truth is, living with joy in the face of seems almost impossible, right; at least when you’re in the thick of it. That is what I thought when this parental alienation started. When I went from being able to speak to my children and hold them in my arms to nothing, I thought this was what would break me and snuff out my light. But here I am, twenty-one months later, and I’m living with joy in the face of. What I didn’t know in the beginning of it all was that the pain I felt combined with the joy I would soon allow to consume me, would work together in a way that even I can’t fathom just yet. The two, would catapult my faith to a place it needed to go in order to see a perspective I couldn’t yet see. The pain and joy working together trans...
In the midst of this heartache, I praise you, Lord. I thank you for the gentle reminder through disappointment that it is in your timing, not mine. That through pain and discouragement and even longing for something to come to pass, you are always faithful to your word. You are always right on time. With these storms that are swirling around my family, I keep my eyes focused on you and you alone. If I allow my eyes to focus on the storms, I’ll drown because I walk by faith, not by sight. So today, and every day, I celebrate each and every one of these storms. I celebrate because you can see the entire picture. I celebrate because what is meant to harm me, you use for good. I celebrate because you have walked with me before and you will continue to do so until this storm has passed. I celebrate because I know that these storms are not what they appear to be. So thank you, Lord, for all that you do. I stand here with arms held high, ready to receive your rain.