God Is My Comfort

These past few days I've surprised myself. Mostly because I always assumed that when the time came I would be the one to face reality with a brave face and keep marching on. But apparently I'm not.
See, my fiancé just left recently on a trip. And I thought everything would be fine. But as the date for his departure drew closer I started having panic attacks and nightmares and was unable to control the depth of fear I felt. And very graciously the Lord gently pulled me from fear's grasp. And I am thankful.
But I find myself with a new challenge. It's day 3 since he left and we no longer have any contact. I trust that the Lord will protect him, but I cannot shake the loneliness of missing him. It turns out the reality of life without your other half is an extremely hard one to cope with. How do you deal with this? What does the Bible say about the pain of missing someone dear in your life? I don't know. I just know I need God to support me through this. It's only 8 days, but it feels like it will never end.
So I surprised myself. It turns out that I need more strength than I thought I had.
And that I take too much for granted in the beautiful times we get to spend together. They seemed so short and so few before. But now I can't wait to get them back.
I do not write this to discourage, or cause pain or worry. But to honestly show that we all go through these things and that the pain IS real. But God's love and comfort is even more real.

Psalm 71:19-21 ESV

"Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?  You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.  You will increase my greatness and comfort me again."

Pray for Isis

After hearing the news that Isis was about to kill another group of Christians my initial feeling was sadness for those who were about to be executed. But then I realized: there is no need to be sorry for them. They know where they are going. They are confident in their future in eternity with the Lord. And it was then that I believe the Lord put in me an overwhelming sense of pain and compassion for their executioners. The ones who will be dying a worse death than their own hands could ever bring. They will die someday and face the Lord, only to then be separated from Him forever. This should not be! Maybe I sound crazy for saying this, but they deserve a chance to be with the Lord and worship Him forever too.
So I began praying right then...for their hearts, for their souls. In the hope that the Gospel of Jesus would somehow reach them and that their hearts would be changed. That they would trust in Jesus and turn away from their sin. And with the Lord's help I will continue this prayer, and I hope someone joins me. But if not I know that God hears my prayers and He will not let them sit idle. I will continue this prayer until it is fulfilled.
And if it is His will that I somehow am a part of that mission, I pray for the strength and the courage to do it.
Please pray with me. May God's infinite power change the tide. May the people a part of Isis be saved out of their shame and sin by the power of Christ Jesus' blood.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." - Matthew 5:43-45