AllForGood

Series: Advent

I Corinthians 1:4-9 ESV

I Corinthians 1:4-9 MSG

Romans 8:28 ESV

There are people who think I have a crazy relationship with God.

When they ask me the address to my website and I tell them it’s acrazyjourney.com they want to know what the crazy journey is about.

I tell them…it’s about God.

That invariably sets them back and they ask questions about my crazy journey.

I tell them, quite frankly it’s been about all kinds of ups and downs filled with twists and turns but in the end it all comes out good.

Paul wrote about his crazy journey with God and with the churches he served in I Corinthians 1:4-9, “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Because of God’s grace it turns out good.

Miraculously, God touches our lives and makes all things good.

Somehow…by a miracle of grace the Apostle Paul knew that. In Romans 8:28 he wrote, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

When I was younger I questioned that scripture. I couldn’t fathom how God could take an awful thing and turn it for good or even use it for good.

I was skeptical.

Then after I turned fifty my life fell apart.

I lost everything I’d known. I had a beautiful new home (my dream home) and I lost it.

I lost my marriage of 30+ years.

I lost my church because my husband was the pastor and he left the ministry.

I knew dragging children into a divorce was not healthy for them so for a time I didn’t tell details of what I was feeling. Gradually things came to light but I let God be the driver.

After all the building blocks of my life crumbled I found an old apartment, sold the home, and drove away in my old car.

On the outside it still doesn’t look like God made all things good, but that’s when the new “me” started to emerge.

Miraculously I found a new church because someone I was working with told me it was a safe place. It was a large church and I told her I was too broken to go because I would just cry. She laughed and told me the pastor makes everybody cry because he is so real about ‘life with God’.

She was right.

Plus, they had a healing prayer service. When I went to the service I just sat and cried. For months they prayed for me and I cried.

After a while I became a pray-er and then I became the director.

Then…God called me to go to Seminary and God made the impossible possible.

God was there all along.

In modern language 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 reads, “Every time I think of you—and I think of you often!—I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus. There’s no end to what has happened in you—it’s beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives. Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.”

God never gave up on me.

Seven years after I started Seminary I graduated with a Master of Divinity degree. Oh my…it was such a wonderful ride!

I loved every part of the journey. I prayed about which language to study and because I knew a lot about New Testament Koine Greek I decided to study Old Testament Biblical Hebrew. When I started I freaked out because it was so hard! I was certain I would not pass Hebrew II because there was so much material to memorize. But, I did pass. Hebrew III was easier because it didn’t require memorization. Then, an older professor taught Hebrew IV, and a miracle happened! He breathed life into it.

Suddenly I could see God’s plan! God made all things good…

God worked out every detail.

Today I love Biblical Hebrew. It’s ancient and it’s life-giving. I have to admit that if I could return to Seminary I would add Koine Greek to my list of classes. I loved studying the ancient languages!

Once I started studying daily to write this blog, a new world opened that blesses me every day. In addition to that, even though I freaked out when I realized I needed illustrations, I started learning to draw. It opened up another new wonderful world…but that, my friends is another story for another day!

Spiritual Practice: All things Good

Give your struggle to God and ask God to create “all things good”!

In God, Deborah

acrazyjourney.com