Choosing to SEE

I'm not a reader (with the exception of blogs).  It usually feels like a chore to me - something else to mark off my to-do list.  However, I was walking through the Christian Book Store looking for a specific book for a friend of mine, and saw this one that I have been interested in since I first heard about it.  So I picked it up and started reading.

An hour later, I was hooked!  But the store was closing.  I knew that Saturday afternoon, nothing was on the calendar, so I loaded up this little lady and headed to Barnes and Noble.  She obviously has the reading bug that I don't.  She was loving it!

4.5 hours later, I had finished the book.  Record timing! It was so refreshing to be reminded of God's amazing grace in impossible circumstances.  The author talks about the death of her 5 year old daughter after her 17 year old son accidentally hit her with his vehicle in their driveway.  There is no way to face the next day without the hope of Jesus Christ and His promises.  Their journey is certainly an uphill climb and one that has to be battled every second of every day.  But they have a CHOICE.  They can choose to crumble, or choose to move forward.

I've got several friends currently going through unheard of circumstances.  When I think about them facing day to day moments, I think back to a sermon that really hit me hard during some trials in my life.  The title was, "When things don't go as planned." The 3 points were:

CHOOSE to rejoice.
CHOOSE to learn from it.
CHOOSE to move forward.

Mary Beth Chapman reiterates these points.  It is a minute-by-minute choice to move forward.

My friends are so heavy on my heart right now and I am praying they can make this choice to move forward.

Life is hard sometimes!!  And maybe someone reading this needs to hear these points and be reminded to make the right choice.

This book is a great, easy read.  You should check it out!