Anticipating The Future

Today would have been my baby’s 22nd birthday.  It’s natural to wonder…what would he have been doing today?  Would his hair be long or short? What career move would he be making right now?  Which of his friends would he be counseling today?  Would he like this picture of me wearing the shorts that he bought me for my birthday?

Life can sometimes seem like a maze; a myriad of pathways .  Some paths lead you to brick walls where you find yourself more confused than you were in the beginning. Some paths lead to other paths.   Ultimately, there’s the path that leads to peace in the midst of turbulence…peace in the midst of cyclonic disturbances  such as a job loss, a health challenge or an untimely death.

Many people find themselves asking, How do I find the path that leads to peace? My response is, here’s what  works for me.

• Surrounding myself with positive people
• Focusing more on the happy times
• Using the power of my words: Vanessa you are an over-comer; you are resilient; your life has purpose
• Trusting God daily to walk with me through the challenges of life and carry me when necessary.

The actual earthy birthdays for Justin have ended. It’s the new beginning  that 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 addresses that I’m looking forward to: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

I am encouraged to stay focused on Christ and be ready to take my place in this stellar event in the sky! So, I’m not saying good bye to Justin but …sleep well…until then.