The Lord Gives and The Lord Takes Away

So far, my whole Once A Month rule has failed. Please forgive me! I will try harder! BUT anyway…
Good morning! How are you all? I hope you are well well well!! Lately I've been trying REALLY hard to get back on some sort of Bible study. As a result, I've been reading Job, and being seriously inspired. Job is one cool guy, and it seems like he's got everything going for him. He's got a wife, kids, servants, animals, money, a house - everything. And I'm sure that it got him feeling pretty secure. Aren't there days like that for us? We've got friends, books, animals, all that, and our days is going amazingly, and then BAM. A bad grade, a biting remark, an argument. That upsets us, right? Well with Job, his entire family died. He himself got awful hives all over his skin (ow), he lost everything in about a week. It would be so easy to be angry. I mean after all, why on earth would God let that happen to him? I was wondering this myself, and then - Job 1:21 "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." (NIV) The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. Wow. It's the whole concept of "learning to dance in the rain". But let's all be real. That's a great phrase and motto to live by. Until the thunderstorm comes, am I right? When I read this, I'll admit it really did hit home. 
Job lost everything. EVERYTHING. I can't even imagine that. And yet, Job praised him. God gave, and God took away, let him be praised. Isn't that something worth memorizing? I know that when I have a bad test grade after working really hard, I often get frustrated. But God has GIVEN, and God has TAKEN. We've all gotten great things, but God knows best, and he can see farther, and sometimes it is better for us to have things taken, too. And it's not some realization we can have and then we turn completely around, by NO means. It's a struggle, something to work really hard for.
But it's also a choice. It's a day to day decision that we're going to thank God for what he's given and trust him for what he's taken, and regardless, we're going to praise him. 
So anyway, I hope this was encouraging! May we all learn to trust God more in his amazing ways that we can't understand. Prayers and love for you all!
As always,
Love from Brooke!

Verse of the Update: "They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD." (NIV)

New Year New Me?

Good Morning! I'm so sorry that I already fell off my little once a month thing.......It's one of my resolutions to get back on it! :D
It's now 2014. Can you believe it? I certainly can't. I know that at this time of year, we all make lists of things we want to do that are borderline unattainable. How on earth do we actually make a list of resolutions worth trying to stick to? That's a question I've asked myself every year, and this year I believe I've found an answer.
The first thing I did differently this year? As well as my little list that I'd like to dream I can follow, I made another list. I call it "GOALS BY THE MONTH". On this list I come up with one to three resolutions for each month. For example - in January I'm supposed to get on a Bible study schedule, wake up by seven o'clock, and go to bed earlier. Three simple things that are easily done. However in February, I keep up these tasks and add 'no procrastinating on Spanish homework' and start running. The list adds upon itself. I hope that by doing something gradual instead of getting a huge pile of things all at once will help me stick to my resolutions. Maybe this will help!
Wellllll that's all for now, I'm afraid. I know it was quite short! I hope you have a blessed 2014 my dears! Get some rest after staying up so late, drink tea, and read a good book!
As always,
Brooke

Verse: 2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!