Courage in the power of His Spirit

There have been 2 distinct times in my ‘short’ (39 years) life where I have experienced grief.  Why am I going to tell you these very personal things?

1. Because you are my church family and I want to belong, trust and share my life with you and
2. I need to testify to the power of God and the Holy Spirit – make known his deeds among the nation

My first real taste of grief came with the loss of a baby.  I had left a very active role in my church to follow my husband on a new adventure – one which didn’t involve church.  We had been trying for 3 years to have a baby so to find I was pregnant was a great joy.

I eventually miscarried.  I was told and I told myself ‘it’s just biology, these things happen’, but the pain was still very real.  I felt lost, despair, anger…I distinctly remember throwing my laptop across a room.  While I had family and friends I had no church and felt so distant from the God I needed comfort from – I was drowning.

Within 2 months I was pregnant again with the beautiful boy you see in church today.  After the birth a real need to return to church weighed heavy on my heart and so I returned.  The Busselton Uniting Church was a wonderful place.  It had a strong christian community where my son learnt to crawl and walk among the pews and people.

Two and a half years later my second taste of grief came in the end of my marriage.  It felt like the world I new and loved had been ripped apart.  While I was devastated, this time I walked through the storm with a sense of calm and peace which I can only attribute to the Holy Spirit.  It was only by God’s grace I could forgive – and no broken laptops this time.  It is because of his strength and power that with in 3 months I had moved towns, bought a house, and found a new church family, but that in itself is another testimony.

I know the difference that God can make in our lives with how we deal with the storms that come.  Without Him I drown, with Him I can rise above it.  The Lord God is my strength and my might, He and He through you has become my salvation.

Most loving God, you send us into the world you love.  Give us Grace to go thankfully and with courage in the power of your Spirit – Amen

Your sister in Christ

Karen