Romans 8:28

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

Tragedy is touching so many in my life right now. I sit here in the Iowa City area trying to stay afloat while wondering how my neighbors to the north in Parkersburg are doing in the rebuilding of their city while my good friends just had a baby who is fighting for his life. Show me a place where tragedy is not happening in the world right now, I dare you.

It is so easy to get discouraged in times like these when everything around you seems to be coming apart at the seams. But this passage, more than just about any other, holds me together and provides me with hope that transcends my understanding. Last week in church, our pastor said we would worship come Hell or high water. This week we did just that. Our church building is destroyed - but our church is probably more in tact than ever before as through this we have had to pull together as one Body. And God is using this - the Word was spoken on CNN World News as well as many other newscasts because of this flood.

Life isn't always easy - in fact, the older I get, the more I find that it is pretty often rather difficult. But we have this promise that God will use what we are walking through for good. Maybe a good that is not tangible; maybe not one we can see. But someday, it will be clear. As my pastor has pointed out, we see the back of the tapestry - and it looks like a bloody mess. God sees the front of things and how beautiful it all is...and because He is God, we can trust in His goodness, even in times when it seems goodness has left for the day.

God is good.
All the time.
And all the time.
God is good.
AND THE BEST.
IS YET TO COME.
(The weekly saying at my church in Senegal.)