A Week Of Welcoming The Trials

Iowa is in the middle of a terrible drought. We're most concerned for the farmers with corn and soybeans in the fields, though we'd love a good gully-washer for our yards, too.

Many people have noticed that when large thunder storms come our way, they've always gone north of us, south of us or actually split in two to go around us completely. We're to the point of celebrating when we get just a few drops of rain on the windows; we're that desperate.

Even when there's no rain in them, we still see the dark clouds coming our way. This was a cloud bank that rolled over the ponds while we were fishing this week. Instead of grabbing our stuff and running for the house, we just stood there and watched them go over. Something that we would have been worried about just a few months ago was a welcome sight now, as we hoped for a good rain.

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worth patience. James 1:2-3

James writes that these diverse temptations - tests and trials that we all go through in life - don't have to be feared and avoided. What looks terrible, like the dark storm clouds overhead, is bringing something wonderful and coveted with it. Relying on your faith in God to help you navigate the storms grows you and teaches you to trust, which turns into patience along the way.

Make this a week of welcoming the trials. While we're not looking forward to some of what the days ahead will bring, we can rest assured that we will learn from them and come out stronger on the other side because we have been faithful and obedient. What a huge life-long lesson about God's goodness coming from an ominous-looking cloud.

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