Saturday, July 24, 2010

The other day the verse where Jesus tells Peter that Satan has asked to 'sift him like wheat' but that Jesus has prayed for him 'that his faith would not fail' kept running through my mind... it feels as though the Gilchrists are being 'sifted'!

However, despite the fact that this year has royally SUCKED, I keep being blown away by the evidence of God's grace and His restraining mercy throughout all we've been through...

Some examples:

1) In the car crash last June, I walked away unharmed when the police said I should have died.

2) My Dad's heart attack was caught just in time so that his heart was not permanently damaged and he didn't die.

3) Ed got home to see his Mum on the day she died.

4) Joshua's heart kept beating until week 24 - the earliest the boys could have been born and stand any chance of survival.

5) The more we find out about my pregnancy (now knowing that I had diabetes as well as everything else), the more we realise what an absolute miracle it is that we have a healthy, 'normal', beautiful baby... really, humanly speaking, neither of our babies should have made it.

6) Being born in his 25th week, Daniel had only a 50% chance of survival - there were SO many things that could have gone wrong and yet, even though we had some rocky moments, he has come through it all unscathed - the pediatrician is amazed how strong and healthy he is!

7) When we saw my GP on Weds, she said "there is definitely someone looking after you" because she apparently NEVER checks her work emails over the weekend - but just as she was going to bed she had a sudden urge to check - if she hadn't, I would have gone to bed and may well have been unconscious by the morning, my blood sugar was that high!

... there are many more examples I could give where the Lord has limited the evil that could have happened. We are still walking through the toughest year of our lives, but I believe that God is with us and is using all this to refine and strengthen us - and to help us fix our eyes and our confidence on things unseen...

3 comments:

  1. Loving the giving God the glory. I get the feeling that you are not alone in your sifting and that God is being seen at work in others' lives too.

    It is wonderful to read of His sustaining grace and mercy.

    Praise you, Lord, you alone are worthy...

    love and prayers to you all,

    Fiona xx

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  2. I had missed some earlier bits of the year's story so I am now even more blown away than ever. It's so good to be able to use the internet to give glory to God. Also sharing testimonies is such an encouragement to others. It seems many of us are having a testing year and yet we can declare with Paul that we are content, indeed joyful in all things. With love to you all Theresa xx

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  3. Just want to say what an encouragement this post is - both in God being at work, and the ways in which you recognise and praise that, even amidst the darker things that have been going on. Thanks! Love you both (and Daniel, in advance of meeting him!), The Colonel xx

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