WHY DID GOD ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN? - I don't know. But this I do know: “all things [big and small] God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” If something in your life doesn’t make sense, trust this promise! - "We know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose." - During the years we did ministry overseas, I broke my ankle, tore my pcl, and got a terrible case of food poisoning. My husband had his wallet pick-pocketed, and we lost a huge sum of money. My friend Kim had a major accident on her way home from a trip to raise funds for her ministry to at-risk elderly. Corrie Ten Boom, holocaust survivor with a life-changing message, suffered a stroke that left her unable to speak the last 5 years of her life. After 45 years of difficult mission work in China, Jonathan Goforth went blind. Steve Saint's father was martyred when he was five and Steve suffered a serious spinal cord injury while developing missionary equipment. Why? I don't know. But this I do know: “all things [big and small] God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” If something in your life doesn’t make sense, trust this promise!

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Why Did God Allow This to Happen?

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I don't know. But this I do know: “all things [big and small] God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” If something in your life doesn’t make sense, trust this promise!

Gail Burton Purath

"We know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose." (Romans 8:28, AMP).

During the years we did ministry overseas, I broke my ankle, tore my pcl,* and got a terrible case of food poisoning.

My husband had his wallet pick-pocketed, and we lost a huge sum of money. 

My friend Kim had a major accident on her way home from a trip to raise funds for her ministry to at-risk elderly.

Corrie Ten Boom, holocaust survivor with a life-changing message, suffered a stroke that left her unable to speak the last 5 years of her life.

After 45 years of difficult mission work in China, Jonathan Goforth went blind.

Steve Saint's father was martyred when he was five and Steve suffered a serious spinal cord injury while developing missionary equipment.

Why?

I don't know. 

But this I do know: “all things [big and small] God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

If something in your life doesn’t make sense, trust this promise!

"We know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose." (Romans 8:28, AMP).

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*posterior cruciate ligament 

Each highlighted word is linked to a devotion about that person or subject.

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Hi!  I'm Gail Burton Purath. I started Bible Love Notes to give people a minute of Scriptural encouragement in their busy day.

I don't have all the answers, but

since I asked Christ to be my Lord and Savior in 1974, I've been learning from the One Who has all the answers!
I'm still a sinner, a learner, a student who falls down and disappoints God at times. But it's my desire to grow closer to the Lord, day by day, minute by minute.

I need to be challenged, encouraged, corrected and comforted, and I think you do as well...so let's learn together about the love of God--a love that is so vast that we will always be discovering new and wonderful things about it.

https://biblelovenotes.blogspot.com/2012/07/things-mysterious.html

THE WATCHMAKER’S FAITH - Corrie Ten Boom believed what God says over what her eye could see - The Ten Booms lived in the Netherlands. Theirs was a family who loved Christ and offered their lives to His service, whatever the cost. As World War II raged on, Corrie Ten Boom and her family could not put their faith in what their eyes could see. They had to look beyond what surrounded them in their little watch shop, to their faith in the God they loved and served. During those dark times, Corrie and her family, along with those who were hiding behind walls in their home, must have wondered each day how long the war would rage on. But the family had surrendered the outcome of their deeds of love to their loving God. Corrie and her sister Betsie were taken by force to the infamous concentration camp in Germany known as Ravensbruck. Betsie would die there, but Corrie would be liberated and go on to become a writer, sharing her love of God and her faith in Him.

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The Watchmaker’s Faith

Corrie Ten Boom believed what God says over what her eye could see

Lisa

Telling HIStory

“Faith is like radar that sees through the fog — to the reality of things at a distance that the human eye cannot see.”  Corrie Ten Boom

As World War II raged on throughout Europe, Corrie Ten Boom and her family could not put their faith in what their eyes could see.

They had to look beyond what surrounded them in their little watch shop, to their faith in the God they loved and served.

The Ten Booms lived in the Netherlands, creating watches in their shop where they also lived. 

Theirs was a family who loved Christ and offered their lives to His service, whatever the cost.

Corrie’s father was a man of great courage, reaching out to Jewish people in their suffering and mistreatment under German rule.

It would later cost him his life in a concentration camp.

During those dark times, Corrie and her family, along with those they sought to protect who were hiding behind walls in their home, must have wondered each day how long the war would rage on, while the watches displayed in their shop ticked away the minutes.

But the family had surrendered the outcome of their deeds of love to their loving God.

On a bleak winter’s day in February of 1944, the Ten Boom family was arrested after being betrayed.

Corrie and her sister Betsie were taken by force to the infamous concentration camp in Germany known as Ravensbruck.

Betsie would die there, but Corrie would be liberated and go on to become a writer, sharing her love of God and her faith in Him on the written page and in the actions of her long life until she died on her 91st birthday.

Corrie’s heart was full of gratitude and love for God and the life that He had blessed her with, despite her years of heartache and fear, grief and loneliness.

Today, her words of faith still resound, often quoted by others.

How was she able to enjoy her life and forgive those who had abused her and caused the death of her beloved sister and brave father? 

Corrie Ten Boom believed what God says over what her eye could see, fixing her gaze on Him:

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our inner strength in the Lord is growing every day.

“These troubles and sufferings of ours are, after all, quite small and won’t last very long. Yet this short time of distress will result in God’s richest blessing upon us forever and ever! 

“So, we do not look at what we can see right now, the troubles all around us, but we look forward to the joys in heaven which we have not yet seen. The troubles will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

We still need faith like the watchmaker’s today. Though we face different adversities than Corrie and her family faced, having faith in God is more valuable than gold.

When you feel as though a fog of the unknown surrounds you, put your faith in the one Who waits beyond what you see to comfort, strengthen, and bless you, too.

About Lisa

My husband Dan and I have three children and three grandchildren. We live in central Illinois. I am a graduate of The Institute of Children's Literature, a member of faithwriters.com, and a member of SCBWI. My writings have been published at chirstiandevotions.us, in DevotionMagazine, the PrairieWind Newsletter, and here at thebottomline.co.

https://www.tblfaithnews.com/telling-history/the-watchmakers-faith

THE SOURCE OF MY STRENGTH - I want to be the kind of woman God can count on. Yet, sometimes I look at my own weaknesses or the circumstances around me and am discouraged. I look at my children and the challenges that could face them and am afraid. But then, I lift my eyes to my heavenly Father and am reminded that He is strong. The Bible is filled with stories of men and women who, in the face of impossible circumstances, persevered and were mightily used of God. We need to keep our heart’s attitude right, but the ability and strength to persevere come from Him.

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The Source of My Strength

Terry Meeuwsen

The book Hiding Place chronicles the life of Corrie ten Boom.

Corrie and her family were Dutch believers who hid Jews in their home during the Nazi reign of terror.

They were finally arrested and imprisoned for hiding and smuggling Jews to safety. Corrie was the only survivor.

When I consider the condition of the world today – the loss of high moral standards, the increasing instances of violence and drug use, and the basic disregard for human life – I am frightened for us as a nation and am deeply concerned for my children.

In a world where rules are scorned and personal rights take precedence over all else, how do I teach my children that some things are worth dying for?

Stories like Corrie’s help me to keep on keeping on in my own faith walk and to encourage my children in theirs.

Years ago, at the age of 22, a friend encouraged me to enter the Miss America Pageant.

I wanted to study professionally in New York City, and the pageant scholarship was substantial enough to make that dream a reality.

But there was a process to it. You had to enter a local pageant first. If you won that, you went on to a state competition.

If you won that, you competed in Atlantic City, New Jersey, for the Miss America title. Oh, the effort I put into that endeavor!

It took hours, days, months of discipline and perseverance. There were mock interviews, rehearsals, and workouts.

There were sessions on walking, wardrobe, cosmetics, and speech. And singing, singing, singing.

Ultimately I won, and I was given many opportunities and blessings as a result of being Miss America.

But I did all that for a crown that will perish. How much more should I be willing to do for a crown that is imperishable?

The Bible is filled with stories of men and women who, in the face of impossible circumstances, persevered and were mightily used of God.

I want to be the kind of woman God can count on. Yet, sometimes I look at my own weaknesses or the circumstances around me and am discouraged.

I look at my children and the challenges that could face them and am afraid. But then, I lift my eyes to my heavenly Father and am reminded that He is strong.

In The Hiding Place, Corrie expresses her fear to her father and asks how she can be sure she’ll have the courage to walk out her faith if they are caught.

Her father says, “Corrie, when we take a train ride, when do you get the ticket to get on the train?”

Corrie answered, “When the train is ready to leave.”

So it is with our God. We need to keep our heart’s attitude right, but the ability and strength to persevere come from Him.

Lord, make me a woman of conviction, willing to pay the price and finish the race. When I am weary, remind me that You are the source of my strength.

Excerpted with permission from Near to the Heart of God, by Terry Meeuwsen ©1998

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Terry Meeuwsen was born and raised in the Green Bay area of Wisconsin, where she grew up the oldest of four siblings.  Gifted from a young age, Terry developed her God-given vocal talent, eventually joining the New Christy Minstrels for two years before turning her attention to a larger stage. Terry was crowned Miss America 1973 and she used her new platform to share her faith.

Winning the Miss America crown helped Terry launch a career in broadcasting that would ultimately bring her to the Christian Broadcasting Network. Since 1993, Terry has been the warm, engaging personality greeting The 700 Club guests on weekday mornings. Serving as co-host with Pat and Gordon Robertson, the trio has shared the love of God with millions of viewers from the CBN studios in Virginia Beach, VA over the last 23 years.

Terry is also an accomplished author, with four titles to her name, including The God Adventure, a story of God’s power and purpose in her life.

A lifelong advocate for children, Terry and her husband Andy are the parents of seven, including five adopted children. It was this passion for adoption that led Terry to launch Orphan’s Promise in 2006. Orphan’s Promise is CBN’s ministry to children around the world; it recently celebrated 10 years of taking vulnerable children from at-risk to thriving.

To find out more about Orphan’s Promise, visit OrphansPromise.org.

https://www1.cbn.com/devotions/terry-meeuwsen-source-of-my-strength