Monday, April 16th

A friend pulled me aside yesterday at church and said, "Jean, I don't know how you're doing this." "This," meaning getting up in the morning and putting one foot in front of the other, I guess. Okay, let's all sit down and talk.

There's not a day that goes by that each one of us at the Sullivan house does not grieve about what has happened to Annie. We cry, and ask God why this happened, just like you do. And really, it's like any hard thing that happens in this life--sometimes you just don't get the answer here. I told Olivia tonight that although we are praying that Annie will recover 100% of her body, that might not happen this side of heaven. But we do know that because Annie knows Jesus as her Savior, she will get an eternal body that is even better than the one she had before!

So when I feel blue about what's happened, I remember a verse that begins with "But God":

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:4-10

I like to put Annie's name in this verse and then read it again:

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved ANNIE, even when SHE was dead in trespasses, made HER alive together with Christ (by grace SHE has been saved), and raised HER up together, and made HER sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward ANNIE in Christ Jesus. For by grace SHE HAS been saved through faith, and that not of HERSELF; it was the gift of God, not of works, lest she should boast. For ANNIE is His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that SHE should walk in them. Ephesians 2:4-10

How can I question God about these temporal difficulties, when He has promised us so much? So the answer to my friend's question, how am I doing this, is simple: But God. He has given me an eternal lens so that I can see to put one foot in front of the other every morning.

I feel your prayers and so does Annie.

Jean