The compassions of the Lord

Lamentations 3:22-25

 22 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 

I love Jeremiah’s faith. The first several verses describe his trials and challenges and his feeling forgotten of the Lord. But I love his declaration of faith, especially that the Lord’s tender mercies or “compassions” are “new every day.” No matter the day, no matter how crappy the night (I slept very poorly last night), there are always new compassions to discover every day! What are the compassions I have seen this morning? 

Heidi! Her sweet, happy, patient personality. Heavenly Father knew I needed Heidi when she joined our family. She brings so much light and happiness to my life daily in her unique role she fills in my family. Her excitement for life, her kindness and gentle nature towards her sister, her resilience. I love watching her grow and learn each day! 

Clara! Her hugs, her little arms reaching up around and for my hair, the rhythmic sucking her thumb, her fire and tenacity and determination. She makes me smile daily. She's my little miracle baby and brings laughter and joy and healing to all of us. 

Annie! Her dramatic humor, her unwavering love for her mama, her excitement at stargazing at 5:00 am! Her creativity, her independent and internally-driven spirit! I love being her mom and seeing who she is becoming each day!

Beautiful fall sunshine and mountains and ponderosa trees. I consider it a tender mercy that God placed me in a location that has offered so much peace and joy through all of my trials. I could probably make it in a city, but every time I take in the wonder of the tall ponderosa pines, I feel like God is giving me a little gift to get me threw life’s challenges! He knew me and He knew what would ground me and bring me peace in challenging times. I didn’t even know about McCall before I came here but He did and He knew me.

A supportive husband! He’s not perfect by any means but he is a good, good man at his core. He recently sought out a marriage course and watches it weekly on his own and tries to implement what he has learned and taken notes on. He inspires me and supports me and is in many ways is a balance to my strengths and weaknesses. 

—————————-

I’ve been reflecting recently on the past year which has been the most difficult of my life. He hasn’t taken away my challenges, but God has taken care of me and held my hand threw them. I see His hand, His love and His support in people He has put in my life! 

There’s Kelli, my old mission companion who happened to reconnect with me, who also has long haul Covid, and has been a huge support emotionally to me. It’s been huge to be able to talk to someone that truly understands on some level. Not a coincidence.

There’s Kim, another mission companion who reached out to me after six years of not talking at all and who’s jovial laugh, humor, and spiritual insights she has shared with me have buoyed me up spiritually and made me not feel so alone spiritually as everyone else my age seems to be blaring their exodus from the church on the internet. Not a coincidence. 

There’s Wendy, a friend who stepped in and took care of my kids (who aren’t even related to her) and meals and cleaning for a week straight and helped me recover more than I have in months. She didn't have to do that, but she gave me the opportunity to say YES to someone else helping me (sometime really difficult for me). Not a coincidence. 

There’s Lisa, my ministering sister who has showed true concern and care as well as tangible help with my kids and with designing the ADU with her interior design expertise. She’s told me she wants to be like my older sister in town and listened to my parenting concerns and given me advice and faith-filled words. Not a coincidence. 

There’s Nancy, the best counselor/therapist that offers spiritual encouragement and concrete support through what has been the most difficult two years of my life! She helped me process the ups and downs of having a baby with a chronic illness (that had thankfully been healed now), the challenges of dealing with that while also being pregnant in the winter, then handling the stress of my own chronic illness and the stresses of our marriage. She’s told me in full faith that I am “meant for this challenge” and that I can handle it. That God hasn’t forgotten me and helped me see how. She’s helped our marriage become stronger. She basically fell out of sky to our aid and has been a huge support. Not a coincidence. 

There’s Kate, another very random friendship that formed but was just what I needed. A loyal friend who has been a sounding board, a compassionate listener, a walking buddy. Not a coincidence. 

I know that, as Jeremiah states, the Lord is good to them that wait on Him. I see His goodness towards me even in the midst of the hardships of life.