Reading it feels like we are taking the thirty year journey with her. Thirty years of seeing God’s faithfulness as He sovereignly controls circumstances. Thirty years of painful lessons where we see joy can be found in suffering. Thirty years of surprising ministry opportunities. Thirty years of wisdom learned and relationships formed. Thirty years of trusting Jesus.

God does not save us one day and completely sanctify us the next. Or the next. His is slow work. Changing us from one degree of glory to another. (2 Cor. 3:18). Steve and I are witnesses to His work. His good and pleasing and perfect work. (Romans 12:2).

We fell into typical patterns of dealing with hurts. I would set up some kind of unrealistic expectation - usually involving Steve being able to read my mind and take away all my feelings of sadness, insecurity or insignificance. Invariably Steve would fail. He should have been praised for the times he miraculously figured all this out. But instead, I would take offense. I would suffer as a martyr in silence. You know, the loud kind of silence that is hard to not notice.

We never read a book without bringing to it all of the circumstances in our lives at the time we are reading. I suppose you could dismiss my delight in this book because I happened to be falling in love with the man who I was reading it with!

Here are two resources that model how to infuse scripture into your prayers.