Dear Mallory,
I was talking with your uncle Terry Smith the other day in my office and he told me about how you were doing. The Lord moved me with a burden for you and I asked Terry if we could pray for you and your family. We both agreed in prayer for your needs and the needs of your family. I hope this letter finds you doing well and I pray that it will be an encouragement to you.
We do not know each other at the present, but I know one day in our eternal future we will. I am sorry to hear about all of the difficult times you have gone through and are going through. I know it seems as if it will never end. I understand your feelings of frustration and the anxiety you sense from time to time, because I have experienced them under different circumstances. I know your life is filled with all kinds of uncertainties at this time. There are alot of "what ifs" circling around in your thoughts quite often. All of this is normal for what you have been through. Questions! Questions! Questions! Where is the answer to all of these questions?
I have found Jesus Christ to be the answer to all of my questions. No matter how complicated the situation is, Jesus has the answer to all of the questions regarding that situation. When we are encompassed with questions, reasonings, doubts and even unbeliefs, all we have to do is take them to Jesus in prayer and ask for the grace to see the situation from his perspective. When the Lord was talking to Abraham about Sarah laughing about the possibility of having a son in her old age, the Lord said is there anything too hard for the Lord? (I ask you the same question, is there anything too hard for the Lord?) God is not a man that he should lie. God can not lie. Jesus said that He was the way, the truth and the life. Isn"t it wonderful to know that we can go to God and trust Him, because He is the only One that is trustworthy and capable of loving us with a love that displays His being. God is love! You know, when we take the time to think about some of the characteristics of God, we can"t help but want to run to Him for all that we truly need. God is love, God is truth, God is our comfort, God is mercy, God is hope, God is life, God is light, God is trustworthy, God is compassionate, God is kind, God is patient, God is longsuffering, God is all and in all, God is I am, etc. Everything that we have need of is found in God.
One of the scriptures which has guided my life is found in proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all of your heart; and lean not to your own understanding. All God is asking us to do is for us to trust Him. No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in the middle of, God tells us to trust Him and lean not to our own understanding. You have probably already conclued in life that there is God"s way of doing things and there is man"s way of doing things. God"s way leads to life, hope, mercy, truth, comfort, encouragement, faith, etc. Man"s way leads to many of the opposite, which are detrimental to our placing our faith and trust in God.
Another place in the bible that has been an encouragement to me is found in 1 Peter 5:6-9 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. By the grace and revelation from God, I realized that first I must humble myself before God in order for Him to exalt me in His due time. I also realized that God was telling me to cast or give to Him all of my care because He is concerned for me. I also realized that by giving my cares to God was an act of humility and a opportunity for me to place my trust in God by having the faith that He was concerned for me and would take care of me. The next two verses explain how the devil will try to keep us from humbling ourselves and giving all of our cares to God. I am sure you remember the serpent"s words to Eve when he said, "ye, hath God said". Satan is continuously trying to harden our hearts by discouragement and get us to give up trusting in God and His promises to us. Trusting God is for us a "win win" situation. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart; and lean not to your own understanding.
Another few verses that has shaped me life are found in Mark 11:22-26 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. To sum these verses up, have faith in God, have faith in God hearing your prayers and believe Him for answering your prayers according to your need and to always remember as you are praying to forgive any that you have ought against.
Mallory, I am one that has been forgiven much and according to the bible loves much. God has bestowed upon me His love, mercy and grace, of which I am not worthy of. God has given to all of us that know Him the things in which we do not deserve and has withheld the things we do deserve. To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved. (Eph. 1:6)
I have been though many trials and tribulations and I thank God for allowing them and giving me the grace to receive His help and deliverence through them.
I apologize for such a long letter, but I wanted you to know that God is there for you now and according to His word, His eyes are upon the righteous and His ears are opened to their cries. Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.
One more verse before I leave. Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. Another lesson I have learned in life is this. When you place your hopes in something and it doesn"t turn out in the way you want, your heart will be discouraged and your heart will become sick. I learned by placing my hope in Jesus and God"s will for my life instead of the things I desire in life, it protects me from getting a sick heart. There is nothing wrong with asking God for things, but remember to say if it be your will for me to have it I want it and if it isn"t your will for me to have it, then I don"t want it. The end of that verse says when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. I know you have experience those fulfilled desires and the life and joy that followed.
The Lord miraculously healed me from a head trama many years ago. The neurosurgeon said to my mother and my brothers I would die or be a vegetable. Needless to say, God saw fit to extend His love and mercy to me and others and healed me. If you want, I will share with you the details in a future letter. I will leave it up to you to make the decision.
If you get the chance, drop me a line or two or as many as you see fit and let me know how you are doing.
Your brother and friend in Christ,
Robin
Robin Whitley
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