For Connection and Redemption

God is so awesome! 

I'm not one to be bubbling over with excitement, but I feel that right now... so much passion, purpose, joy, connection, and GOD right there at the center of it all!!!

Pastor Craig's Easter sermon is going to focus on answering why bad things happen to good people.  Why sometimes life is painful and God seems unfair.  I watched Stepmom a couple days back (probably the best sad movie ever, in my opinion) and was struck by the fact that the bitterness and anger and jealousy were tearing the family apart until something gut-wrenchingly tragic forced them (especially the mom and stepmom) to connect and learn to love and encourage each other.  I've been thinking about that a lot, and in my opinion, the simple two-word answer to why God allows tragedy in our lives would be for connection and redemption. For starters, the worst thing that ever happened to Jesus allowed all of us to be redeemed and forever connected to God.  Not abandoned or cast off, but connected and never forsaken.  And in every negative life event that I can remember, the obvious good that has come from it is new and/or deeper relationships with people, and stronger faith in Christ.

Last night in class, we had to answer ONE of the following 3 questions and share our answer with the class:

1. What events/factors/decisions have had the greatest influence or impact on your life as it is today?
2. As you reflect on your current life situation, are you where you thought you would be at this point in your life?  Why or why not?
3. Has there been a crisis moment in your life that has forced you to closely examine your life and the direction you were going?  Explain as much as you are comfortable sharing.

I answered #1, starting off with my salvation and walk with God, which I said was the common thread that held me up through the rest of it.  I talked about seeing bitter divorces and tragic juvenile cases in court, as well as several criminals who have chosen to numb out and harden their hearts to the world... and how that spurred my desire to become a counselor.  I shared in very brief form about being diagnosed with Bells Palsy, Blake's brain tumors and treatments, facing major rejection and losing several friendships, Daniel's death, being mad at God, Mom's cancer, and my parents' car wreck.  And I said that in every bad event, God has been faithful and is using it for good in the end!  

When we took our break (class is 4 hours, so we get a 30 minute break around 7:45), the two women in our class who have endured the devastating loss of their own child both made it a point to talk to me.  The first hugged me and commented on the testimony in me being so "full of joy," and the other talked more openly about recently coming out of a period of being very angry with God herself.  That all might sound like a small thing, but it was huge to me that God used me speaking up about my story (much smaller in scale to theirs) to help me connect with these women. The mix of strength and compassion and dignity that I see in their lives today is the result of seeking God in the middle of their greatest tragedy.  It's powerful.

The details of each person's major trials and what they learned from them became more clear, and several new stories emerged.  Listening to that and wanting to cry thinking about what some of them have been through, I found myself feeling so thankful to be a part of this class!  Knowing that God connected me with these exact people for a reason at this time.  It really felt anointed - the clear presence/favor of God right there in our midst.  Hearing everyone's answers to these questions was my absolute favorite thing we've done so far!  I loved the honesty and vulnerability and depth and pain and redemption weaving through it all.  And I guess my point in all this is that sincere, deep heart connections like that would not be possible without suffering through the depth of real despair and tragedy and pain... and the overwhelming sense of joy and purpose would not be so apparent in our lives if we did not KNOW that there is a God whose love is deeper still!