Journeying with Resurrected Jesus in Confusion

Today, we are going to focus on gratitude. We are going to rest in the certainty of God's goodness, and we are going to do it right in the middle of painful reality.

These last two weeks have been timely for me. We talked about disappointment last week. During that week, we found out that a young girl my daughter's age that attended fourth and fifth grades with was killed in a horse riding accident. Her name is Hannah. At the end of 5th grade she decided that she loved riding horses, and she wanted more time to focus on her sport. So, her family chose to homeschool her. She's done really well and was somewhat well known in that community. Her horse stumbled in last Sunday's show. Hannah toppled off the front and her horse landed on top of her. On Monday, I joined two other moms in taking a crew of sophomores in high school to the funeral of a former classmate. It was surreal and very emotional for all of us.

This week, my church leadership shared difficult news with us. We are entering into a season that will be full of disappointment and confusion. Unfortunately, it's a season of healing and recovery that is too well-known to me and far too well-known across the" capital C" Church. My heart is sad and my stomach is sick.

Even though these two weeks have been flooded with disappointment and confusion, I have felt a firm resolve in the trustworthiness of God. I am so grateful that He doesn't ask us to ignore the reality of our pain. We get to bring it right to Him for as long as we feel it. What a gift!

A podcaster that I listen to occasionally ends every episode with a question from an Episcopal priest, Barbara Brown Taylor. She asks her guests, "What is saving your life right now?"

Answers to this question can be deep and inspiring or silly and ridiculous. I absolutely love hearing all of them. In a way, this is a creative way to give thanks. In the middle of this crazy and uncertain life, what is saving your life, bringing you joy, causing you to give thanks?

I'll start first again...... good friends that I can be completely honest with. THAT is what I'm grateful for, and THAT is saving my life.

Jesus, thank you for journeying with us. Sometimes we don't recognize You, but we believe You are here. There are times when we are sad, disappointed, and even a little lost in this world, because the expectations of our humanity get in the way. When You make yourself very evident, though, our hearts burn within us. Will you help us to recognize that and trust it. Your presence can make us brave. Today, we commit ourselves to You. We want to be transformed by Your presence in our lives and Your power in our bodies. We belong to You, and that Truth makes us glad. Amen.