Living Life - Where is Faith?

A few weeks ago, I heard about how Pure Flix is encouraging everyone to think about how they maintain their faith in God throughout life's ups and downs.  I was in the middle of the April A to Z blog challenge and knew that there was no way I could write that blog post at that time.  I decided that I would spend my time writing about my faith for a blogpost in May.  Pure Flix is a company that promotes content with good values through their wide variety of Christian movies.  When my kids were little, they had a favorite movie that we watched over and over and it was a movie purchased from a site (except by phone back then - no internet!) much like Pure Flix

All of life's ups and downs have been rolling around in my head since I read her initial email.  I grew up in the church - we walked to church on Sundays.  My mom was active in church . . . our dad . . .not so much. He believed in God.  He had high moral character (though he could "cuss" up a blue streak).  He was baptized before my mom died of cancer.  He just didn't go to church very often.

My mom died when I was 15 . . .I was a Sophomore in high school.  I remember standing in the backyard on the day she died . . .I was shaking my fist at God and cursing at  him for taking my mom. In hindsight, I can see that I was actually angry at God for a long long long time - probably into my 30's.  I continued attending church but my heart wasn't into worshiping this mean God who would take my mother.

mama and daddy when they were younger

One of the beautiful things about our lives is that we can all look back and see things so very clearly. God put so many people in my life - people that would continue to love me even when I was very unlovable.  I can see the hand of God over and over and over again - sending people to help guide me.

I'm going to be brutally honest . . .in hindsight, it wasn't my faith in God that carried me . . .it was friends and family who had faith in God and they carried me until I could walk again.  On Sunday, in Sunday School, the story about the friends who carried their friend on a mat to Jesus was a part of the lesson.  I've always thought about that story and my friend, Susan Peterson, who died of cancer. When she was sick and tired, we continued to pray and "carried her mat."  Looking back on my life, I can see where others carried me "sitting up on that mat" for quite a long time . . . they loved me back to Jesus.

I can't imagine living life without my faith in God. . .but it is so comforting to know that I'm surrounded by other believers who pray for me; who encourage me; who support me; who listen to me; who remind me that I am a beloved daughter of the king of kings!

The two pictures that I have used today are old black and whites.  I took a photo of the photo using my phone so the picture quality is terrible . . .but I want you to see my favorite picture of me and my mama.  She was so beautiful inside and out.  I wish I could know her now!  I would love to talk about life and faith with her.  I would love for her to meet my children and grandbaby!  BUT . . .But God sent people into my life who have loved me and made me realize that I'm never alone.