Success?

God, there was a time when I really felt successful – as a wife, a mother, a grandmother.

Those days are LONG past now.

When I could kiss a boo-boo and make it better. 

When I could offer a cookie during an oofie time and smiles dispelled the gloom. 

When I could hold Rick's hand and pray with him when life was beating against him. 

Now, no matter what I do, or don’t do – no matter where I am, or am not – no matter who I am with, or just alone – seems to me that I am coming up empty, exhausted, and anything BUT a success!

If success means not falling or stumbling, or not making major life changing mistakes?

I will never ever be successful – in any way, at any time!

UGH.

There is a song, “Through It All” – that plays in my mind as I sit here writing this morning.

Written, and sang, by Andrae Crouch.

That song says more than I can.

“Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in JESUS, I’ve learned to trust in GOD.

I’ve learned to depend on His Word.

For if I had never had a problem, I wouldn’t know that GOD could solve them.”

GOD, I do ask that YOU Bless the work of my hands and mind – but I want more, GOD.

MORE.

More to do for YOU. 

More Blessings from YOU. 

More of YOUR Presence in my life. 

Here I am GOD – YOURS.

Please, open my mind and heart to YOU.

Plant YOUR desires deep inside of me.

Infuse a dream in me that is far beyond my own reaches.

A dream that only YOU can make happen.

I want that journey of walking with YOU, talking with YOU – relying on YOU.

A faith walk, one step at a time, leaning on YOU.

I think I finally get that “faith to faith” that Paul talked about – it takes darkness to see the light, it takes failures to have the victory and success.

And the way we move from faith to faith is to have our trials and struggles that have us leaning more and more upon YOU.

: Psalm 34:17-18 – When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

• GOD, if I ever needed this assurance and comfort, it is NOW!

: II Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

• Since being a widow, this verse has taken on new meaning.