I was just watching, for the hundredth time, the movie Twister. Now, while I’ve seen it many times, I watch it because there are aspects of it that appeal to me. The dialogue, however, is just shy of adequate. But the dissection of the dialogue isn’t what prompted this entry. It was the last scene. The one where everyone is together. They are a unit. A group of friends who share a common interest, are happy when something good happens to any of them and are willing to put their life on the line for their friends. I never noticed it in that way until tonight. Isn’t that what we all long for? People who share our interests, get excited when we do well or receive a blessing? Someone who is willing to die so that we might live? We all long for that. I found it. In Jesus. It took years of rebellion on my part. I defied God and everything that He stood for. I knew I was living a lie and I continued to do it, not mindful of the consequences or even realizing that the torturous life I was living was the consequence. Years later, I recommitted myself to God and put my life into Jesus’ hands. It wasn’t easy. It should have been, but there were things I wasn’t sure I wanted to give up. How lame that sounds now, that after all Jesus gave up at the cross, there were things of the world that I would rather have kept than Him. I was, am and will be, as long as God has a purpose for my life, a work in progress. There’s no shame in that. I will fail many, many more times before God is done with me. But each failure and each loss will bring me closer to Him through the wisdom and teachings He gives through the trials. I try to use my life to bring glory to my God, though many times, I bring Him shame and disappointment. It is easy to praise God at the height of the fruits of His blessings, and I want to always do that…. but more, I want to be able to praise Him from the depths of the valleys, for at that moment, my hope is in Him… my hope is Him… and He is always faithful. I come out of the valleys with a newer perspective, one that is closer to the person God is molding me to be. And in the meantime, He is with me, always, and He already died for me… and one day He’s coming back for me… How can I wish for what I already have… Praising God for his merciful blessings…
These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world – John 16:33
A Photographer's Heart 