INSPIRATION

~Inspiration from Laura~

Hello! I'm Laura James from the first book in The Crystal Falls Series. If you've read my story, Lilacs for Laura, you know I've had a struggle with trusting God. Although I have wonderful Christian parents and enjoyed an awesome childhood, bad things still happen in life and each one of us deals with hurt, loss, and disappointment.

We can choose to blame God for our hurts or thank Him for our blessings. And yes, we all have blessings too. Every day we're alive and breathing is a gift from almighty God. Every sunrise, every sunset, every morsel of food, stitch of clothing, or shingle over our heads has been provided by God. When tempted to think we earned it by our own hard work, we need to think again. Even our ability to think, move, and work is God's doing. We have nothing without Him.

Besides all this, and despite our reluctance to trust Him, He even sacrificed His only son as payment for our sins. That's how much He loves us and wants to share heaven with us.

So when struggling with trusting God, remember this:

"Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Matthew 7:9-11 NIV

We need to trust Him enough to ask. And ask with the expectation -- the TRUST -- that He who knows all things and loves us unconditionally will certainly give us His best. Although we may not realize it at the time, or ever, God's best is better than what we ask.

This happened to me when I prayed for an old boyfriend to marry me. Well, he cheated and left me. I was devastated and had a tough time trusting God after that. But he sent Brett Mitchell along -- a better man by far and I couldn't be happier. Even when I asked for a snake, God gave me something better!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Ephesians 3:20-21

God's Peace and Blessings,