Goodness ...

Today is staff meeting we were discussing the goodness of God ...

I began to reflect on the word "good." Although it doesn't seem like a word big enough to describe a characteristic of God ... I think it's the perfect word.

Weeping, I boarded a plane headed back to the states at the end of one of my favorite summers doing summer missions. Just before I stepped onto the plane, one of the Australian men put his hands on my face and looked me in the eye and said "It was good." Never had that word seemed as powerful as it did that day.

My thoughts ran wild during our discussion today and I sat in awe of God. God has been especially good to Ethan and I through His gift of perspective ...

So often we find ourselves lying in bed at night at a loss for words. Searching for words big enough to encompass our love for one another as well as the awesomeness of the last 5 years. This in itself is a profound testimony of God's goodness. The last five years have been filled with trials, temptation, struggles and even death. However, our reflection of these years leaves us filled with joy and thankfulness for trials. God is good.

I realized today that Claire was born in the same month that the little heartbeat of the baby we lost last year began. How surreal and perfect? One of our pastors just spent a week with his newborn baby boy in NICU. Our head pastor asked the question today "If Noah had died last week, would we still be able to say 'God is good?'" I had to restrain myself from jumping to my feet and shouting "YES!" After losing our first baby last September, Ethan and I spent a couple of hours crying ... then together we couldn't help but rejoice and see God's goodness through death. God is good.

For the first time in our marriage God has blessed our socks in the area of finances. While we are by no means rich ... we can afford to pay all of our bills on time, buy healthy groceries and bless others. How thankful are we that we struggled to make ends meet for 3 1/2 years! Now, when a friend is in need or we have the opportunity to help someone, we jump at the opportunity because of God's gift of a few years of financial hardships. God is good.

Even now, we are two exhausted new parents. Ethan's work schedule is crazy and there is just way too much going on in the student ministry for me to keep up with. Every evening I go to sleep thinking about perfect and wonderful this crazy life is. And while this is just a season of chaos as we try to figure things out ... God is good.