Goodbye 2018, and as the Christmas season passes, I am once more alert to the fact that God is with us.  He never leaves nor forsakes us.  

When the news of our daughter's cancer came at the beginning of the year, we immediately had to apply the knowledge God has given in His word of Who He is, and what He's up to in our lives.  Relying on His Spirit to provide the fruit of His  joy, peace, patience, etc... during that time proved to be easier than I would have thought.  All it took was my trust in what He said to be true, and it was. 

All it took was... Trust. 

I've learned that perspective shifts when He is our focus. So often our troubles seem so large that they can block out our vision of God, but He's still there. Even when all we see is the problem before us, He's still there. He hasn't moved away.  So, it's important to realign our vision to see Him all around the situation. In the situation.  

When our perspective is one based on trust of Who He is, and that He's doing  something in our lives, trust comes easier.  

How do we trust what we cannot see?  We study His word, and we get to know Him better. We learn all we can about what He's doing in the situation.  And from first hand experience, we become aware of little blessings He puts all along the way.  Each one of those small glimpses of His presence and love become the sustenance to get us through what are some really hard days.  As well as, sensing strength and power from His Spirit to face the day.  

In 2019, I pray that each of us will learn to trust Him more as we know Him more. 

Welcome to Grace to Joy, where the more we know of His grace, the more joy we experience in our day to day.  God bless you as you step into 2019.