This past Sunday morning at approximately 1:30 a.m., the doorbell rang.  Chills ran up and down my spine.  Questions filled my mind.  Who was it?  What did they want?  Why were they here?  I was genuinely scared.  Immediately, I began to pray.  While I didn’t have an answer for the questions racing through my mind, I knew that God had everything under control.  I had the reassurance that God was with us.

My dad went to see who was banging on our door violently and ringing the doorbell repeatedly.  An individual who was under the influence of either drugs or alcohol had flipped their car and landed in a neighbor’s field.  This person had come to our house for help.  We called 911 and soon they were being attended to by the EMTs.  I prayed that they would be alright.  And I also thanked God for standing beside us, protecting my dad and me, and giving us His wisdom and peace even in an uncertain situation.
Sometimes, it is difficult to have faith that God will be with us through every trial in our lives.  I cannot tell you that it was easy to trust God while someone was beating on our door in the middle of the night.  There are times when we will be frightened to the point of trembling.  In these moments, our human nature tries to take over and tells us that everything is not okay.  But if we listen closely enough, we will find that there is a still, small voice saying, “Child, I am with you always.  Everything is going to be alright.”
Other times, it is so easy to trust God completely.  Last weekend, I attended a church ladies retreat.  At the retreat, we laughed and enjoyed a lot of delicious food, including delicious, fresh-baked cinnamon rolls and copious amounts of fresh strawberries straight from Plant City, Florida.  Most importantly, we were fed spiritually.  By Sunday morning, we were on cloud nine.  Right before the communion service, we received news that our retired pastor’s cancer was in remission.  At this very moment, God seemed so very near.  Trusting God was so simple.
On Monday morning, I learned that Pastor Jim had gone on to be with the Lord, having stepped through Heaven’s gates peacefully in his sleep.  He was such a kindhearted man of God, who was humble in every way.  He loved his family, his church family, and most important, he loved Jesus Christ with all of his heart.  We prayed for Pastor Jim on Sunday, just as we had been doing for months.  And on Monday, our prayers were answered.  Only it wasn’t the answer that we were praying for.  You see, we don’t always understand God’s answers, but we can always be assured that He knows best.  When we are on top of the mountain, trusting God comes easily for us.  But when we are in the valley, it becomes much more difficult to trust that God has a perfect plan.
I want to encourage you today.  This valley that you are going through will not last forever.  Sometimes you have to go through a storm in order to enjoy a rainbow.  Even in the sunset, there’s sunshine awaiting you.  Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.”  Don’t rely on what your human mind can or cannot comprehend.  Rely on God.  God knows exactly what you are going through.  He is right there with you and He will walk every step of the way right by your side.  The Bible says that He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).  Things may not make sense to you right now, but a day is coming when everything will be made clear to you.  God will show you His plan for your life in His timing.  Trust in Him.  Follow His steps.  Take comfort in the fact that God is always with you!
In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer