Encouraging one another, all the more
Since May 20th, 2017, I’ve haven’t been able to fully swallow or breathe. I’ve been in and out of the ER and getting procedures done that until only very recently yielded conclusive results for a rare esophagus disease. Long story short: it’s really sucked and God is really good.
By Rachel and Bailey It’s our one year anniversary at All the More — so we want to celebrate with you how this blog came to be and the ways in which God has provided and used it this past year!
When I first started reading the Bible, I was very confused about some of the great people of faith doing questionable things. Why were these people (I thought) I was supposed to look up to morally committing such terrible sins? Was the Bible condoning these atrocious things they did? Why were people offering up their daughters to be raped? Why did Noah get drunk and lay naked after the ark? Why did Solomon take so many wives and concubines? The Hall of Faith, as Hebrews 11 is often referred to, lists murderers, adulterers, and liars, yet these people were commended for their faith. I had first assumed these Bible stories were supposed to be about all good, upright, moral people and how we should emulate them. But I was wrong. The Bible isn’t a book about good people, but about a good God who chooses to use messy people.
There was a time last winter in Aruba on holiday where I was doing really great. I felt connected to God, learning about forgiveness and spent a lot of time eating with (and annoying) my family. When it was time to go back to the Netherlands in January to continue my University studies suddenly everything tumbled. My relationship with God had become almost nonexistent. I felt depressed and overwhelmed. I really didn’t want turn to God. I tried running from God. I kept trying to run farther and farther away. This feeling continued for a couple of months.
I don’t remember exactly what was happening in the world at the time, but I remember it being something unnerving; you know, one of those news stories that just makes you cringe and feel nauseated or maybe brings tears to your eyes and makes you want to retreat into the fetal position. Anyway, she asked me, “If God is so good, why do bad things happen?” At the time, I honestly didn’t know what to tell her.
They say, “comparison is the thief of joy.” I’ve been hearing this quote all over the place recently and it’s no wonder why – God is trying to teach me something… isn’t it funny how he does that?
Recently there have been hundreds of books poured out on tables in my school’s library. They’re old or out of date, scribbled-on or just past their usefulness and they were being sold for 10¢ a pop when I found them. They have what they call the “Bargain Box” and anything you can fit into that box you can get for one sole $1. In other words, I bought over 20 books for a grand total of $1 – not too shabby when you’re a bibliophile like myself and your husband has put a cap on your book spending for fear that we’ll have to buy yet another bookshelf. (We will.)
Alone time. It has a beautiful ring to it, doesn’t it? Sometimes, retreating from others gives us space to grieve and grow, to process, to heal, and to listen to God’s still, small voice.
“What? You too? I thought I was the only one!” That’s the basis of friendship.