Count It All Joy

My favorite passage in the Bible is James 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

To consider trials joy is not a normal reaction. It seems to go against our nature, but it is not out of our reach. We can learn to understand this concept and to embrace it and hold it close to our hearts for the very truth and depth of it.

This past year has had many trials for our family, but through them all, there has been growth, and for me personally, I have come to find rest through these hard things, in what I do believe. It has been a year of questioning and searching, with the answers found in the trials of the rocky narrow path, not on the smooth and wide path. I sort of feel that for myself, I have come full circle. Ending up just about where I started from. But I sought after God with a yearning like never before. A hunger to find out just what I put my faith in. Through it all, I can say,

I do consider it all pure joy !

Tonight's sunset and my wisteria in the dark of the night