Holding on to Faith

To all of you who have called, texted, emailed or shown support in some way - THANK YOU. We have not had a lot of extra energy to respond right now, but want you to know that every effort shown to us is deeply appreciated. We feel blessed and carried and loved. Thank you. We are still feeling the need to "hunker down" and try to wrap our hearts and minds around all this.

We are holding on to each other and holding on to our faith. Scripture has been carrying us through and we'd like to share some verses that we are holding on to right now.

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.....We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? ........We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express........."

Romans 8:18 - 27 (words that our son, Jonathan came and read to us Thursday night - what a blessing!)

"My eyes fail from weeping, I am in torment within. My heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city. They say to their mothers, 'Where is the bread and wine?' as they faint like wounded men in the streets of the city, as their lives ebb away in their mothers' arms. "

"Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children who faint from hunger at the head of every street."

"Because of the Lord's GREAT love we are not consumed; his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; GREAT is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him'. "

Lamentations: 2:11 & 12, 2:18 & 19, 3:22-24

"I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."

John 16:20-22

Thanks again for your support and encouragement - God is faithful and His mercies are new each day - we are counting on that and know that it is true!