For His Service

As a 19 year old, many of my decisions weren't good ones. One great one was marrying Russell Pate. He has been kind, funny, helpful, and good-looking, but all of that isn't enough to have a good marriage. It ultimately depends on God's grace. He has poured grace upon our marriage. I wish Russell and I could take credit for the survival of our marriage, but we can't. We have been selfish. We have thought only of ourselves. We have not always thought of the other person first. I am so grateful for what God has done. I love the husband He gave me.

Okay...now that I have your attention. .... Loving people is a risky thing to do, a painful thing to do, at times, a discouraging thing to do, a disappointing thing to do...but we need to do it anyway. How boring and unfulfilled life would be if we didn't risk loving others! How meaningless life would be if we didn't allow ourselves to love people even though disappointment, lost, and pain is involved ...especially.....when we love and love well. Right now I feel there are so many people in my life whose hurts effect me. I am unable to forget their pain and problems; it just eats me up and makes me grieve. I am glad I have compassion and empathy for them, but God has to toughen me up. Perhaps this is what God is doing in this stage of my life... toughening me up.....maybe this is why I have friends who ...after 2 years....seem unable to get a foreign government to allow them to bring a 9 year old orphan home as their son....maybe this is why I found out that two of m...